For example, the Soviet Union became the first country in 1968 to fly a supersonic passenger plane, the Tupolev TU-144. But a fatal crash at the 1973 Paris Air Show ended that ambition.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — People living in and around the nation’s capital experienced a rare, if startling, sound that has a rich history in American aviation and possibly a muted future: A sonic boom.

After Nick Sheryka's dreams of flying for the U.S. military were dashed because of hearing loss in his left ear, he didn't ...

What is required to transform the thunderous crack of a sonic boom into a mere whisper across the sky? On July 10, 2025, the solution became visible on the sun-drenched runways of Palmdale, California ...

This gives us a crack that is a “mini” sonic boom. With that in mind, let’s get back up into the air. When a plane is traveling less than roughly 760 mph, the sound waves push out with room to ...

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — People living in and around the nation’s capital experienced a rare, if startling, sound that has a rich history in American aviation and possibly a muted future: A sonic boom.

For example, the Soviet Union ... Sonic booms are still heard in the U.S. from the nation’s military aircraft. In 2021, a sonic boom caused widespread concern that there was an earthquake on the ...

For example, when a sonic boom is created on the coast, the sound will travel farther inland if the winds are moving in from the east, compared to a westerly wind.

A larger and heavier aircraft, for example, will produce a more powerful boom. Sonic booms and the environment Despite their severity, however, booms are rarely known to cause hearing or building ...