Flight Tests Prove Structural Soundness of Gulfstream's Quiet Spike At Supersonic Speeds

Gulfstream Aerospace's Quiet Spike sonic boom mitigator successfully accomplished its first supersonic flight on Friday, October 20, achieving a major program milestone. Gulfstream, in collaboration with the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, has been flight testing the structural integrity of its Quiet Spike since mid-July.

Mounted on the nose of a NASA F-15B aircraft and flown at Mach 1.2 or 20 percent faster than the speed of sound, the Quiet Spike operated as designed. It fully extended to its maximum length of 24 feet and performed as expected during the 1 hour, 5-minute test flight, which reached an altitude of 45,000 feet.

Gulfstream's Quiet Spike is a multi-segmented, articulating boom that, when fully extended from the nose of a supersonic low-boom shaped aircraft, is expected to reduce the effects of sonic booms.

"The fact that the Quiet Spike performed as designed at supersonic speeds and was extended and retracted without any difficulties, brings us one step closer to our goal of seeing if it will reduce the sonic boom when mounted on a more appropriate platform," said Pres Henne, senior vice president, programs, engineering and test, Gulfstream.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com