The Low Boom Flight Demonstrator (LBFD) project will demonstrate a sonic boom with greatly reduced noise in order to pave the way for commercial supersonic flight over land.
LBFD is responsible for managing the construction of the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) experimental aircraft, and proving its ability to create a sonic “thump’ instead of an annoying sonic boom.
Once its readiness is proven, the X-59 will then be used by another project to conduct flight campaigns over a number of U.S. communities.
The LBFD project’s technical goals are to:
- Demonstrate that this aircraft, called X-59 QueSST, can produce a predictable range of sonic boom signatures that help to validate low-noise sonic boom design tools, and that improve the understanding and prediction of atmospheric effects on low-noise sonic boom signatures;
- Deliver the X-59 QueSST that is capable of successfully supporting flight campaigns to generate community response data that assists regulators with developing a noise-based standard for commercial supersonic flight over land.
Cathy Bahm—Project Manager
Vacant — Deputy Project Manager
David Richwine — Deputy Project Manager, Technology
Matthew Redifer — Deputy Project Manager, Integration
Chad Stimson — Deputy Project Manager, Execution
Jay Brandon — Chief Engineer
