Edwards AFB News

Boom! NASA-Dryden asks base residents to lend ear for sonic boom study

  • Published
  • By Kate Blais
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The NASA-Dryden Flight Research Center is calling upon base residents to lend a keen ear to the skies above Edwards and participate in an upcoming sonic boom research study.

Commencing this fall, the NASA-sponsored study will gather data on individuals' attitudes toward aircraft noise, specifically sonic booms. The data collected will contribute to the design of quieter supersonic aircraft.

Those who participate will help engineers understand how individuals experience sonic booms.

"We need residents' help to understand how individuals experience this noise in their homes and neighborhoods in order to advance the necessary technologies for commercial supersonic transportation," said Larry Cliatt, an aerospace engineer at Dryden and principal investigator for the study.

"The testing phase will consist of producing a varying number of sonic booms per day, while collecting participant response data from the Edwards Air Force Base residential community."

Using standardized survey questions, each participant will be asked to complete a short questionnaire survey every time he or she hears any sonic boom while on base.

Surveys will be administered in paper form, a Web-based form and an application compatible with Apple mobile devices. In addition, a smartphone will be lent to some participants for the duration of the study.

Those interested in participating in the study will undergo a preliminary phone or Web interview - via the study's Web site - in order for researchers to collect more detailed information on the amount of time individuals are typically home during the day.

Participants must live on base, be at least 18 years old and be home at least part of the day during the week.

NASA is hoping to recruit at least 100 participants, 50 of whom are needed by August. 1. Each participant will receive a token of appreciation from NASA.

"Understanding residents' responses to sonic booms is very important to NASA," concluded Mr. Cliatt. "We are looking for at least 100 base residents during a time of high base turnover. So, it is very important to get as many volunteers as possible."

For more information about the research study and whether you are eligible, please call 1-800-454-5070 or e-mail chelsea.merchant@tetratech.com or visit www.NASABoomStudy.com.