Supersonic Overland Without a Sonic Boom – Quantifying the Speed Advantage of Mach-Cutoff Flight

Abstract

When flying at low supersonic speeds, rising temperatures and convenient winds can deflect the sonic boom shock waves so that they do not reach the ground. This work presents a computation methodology that incorporates atmospheric sonic ray tracing, topography, and realistic 3-D atmospheres in order to optimize supersonic overland cruise with respect to speed. Flight missions are simulated on several suitable city pairs using numerous atmospheric conditions. Flight times and fuel consumption are compared to subsonic high-speed missions.