Rotorhead 
08/16/2007, 17:17:23
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There has been speculation of a hypersonic SR-71 replacement since the late 1980's and that little slip in the defense budget for a "Project Aurora" that was subsequently denied up, down and sideways. Then there were the weekly "skyquakes" over California Caltech studied and determined were not earthquakes as initially thought but sonic booms made by a hypersonic aircraft over the Mojave Desert. Who can forget the famous "donuts on a rope" contrails over the desert, or the loud banging propulsion system heard and indeed physically felt from just outside Groom Lake ( on private land subsequently purchased by the Air Force ). Who knows exactly what is going on out at Groom Lake or White Sands these days, but speculation about a mach 6 or so spyplane is very old news now. Crud it has been so long since a US fighter went supersonic anywhere near a population center most younger folks wouldn't know what a real sonic boom feels or sounds like. It would freak them completely out! I grew up with that noise rocking the house and school.
The pilot is always the first person at the scene of the crash.
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