Supersonic planes may fly over towns

[Druss]

By Irene Mona Klotz

Just as the Concorde heads toward the scrapheap comes a wakeup call from across the Atlantic: supersonic flight over populated areas may not be idle fancy.

During a highly successful demonstration over the Californian desert, a modified F-5E supersonic jet fighter provided proof that a change in an aircraft's shape mitigates the intensity of its sonic boom.

"This technology could eventually enable unrestricted supersonic flight over land," says Charles Boccadoro, programme manager with Northrop Grumman, which modified and flew the jet under a $7m US government-backed research program.

View :Full Article | Source : BBC News