WICHITA, Kan (KSNW) – The Kansas Department of Transportation director of aviation said the 770-mile test corridor for planes moving at the speed of sound will be huge for aviation research. It will continue to move Kansas into the developing aviation industry.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students like myself,” said Lierman.
Zakk Lierman is a junior at Wichita State University and also works at the National Institute for Aviation Research. He said learning new technology is really valuable.
“I’ve been involved in numerous opportunities to be able to help do things in the aviation industry and this is just another wonderful opportunity,” said Lierman.
The KDOT director of aviation agrees, this is a unique experience.
“I liken this program to the space program in some ways in that the interns and students they are directly involved today will be the future in aviation just right around the corner,” said Bob Brock, the KDOT director of aviation.
Brock said early next year, the data collection process will begin, starting with installing recording tools in the Pittsburg and Liberal airports. It will also include a public survey to chart the sound of the supersonic planes.
The CEO of spike Aerospace said his company isn’t involved in this test yet, but said eliminating the sonic boom is the number one priority.
“The spike supersonic jet I can tell you, we’re expecting that the flight wouldn’t be heard when it is flying overhead. It shouldn’t be any louder than a car door closing in the background and very thump, you’ll hear a car door, an air conditioner, something of that sort,” said Vik Kachoria the president and CEO of Spike Aerospace.
“I think super sonic aviation should be something that comes into the civil airspace sonic booms have to be solved and this is just one of those ways to get that solved,” said Lierman.
