United States Supersonic Transport Program Collection [Vierling]

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the files of Bernard J. Vierling (Deputy Director, FAA Office of SST Development, 1965-69; Acting Director, 1969-71). The material consists primarily of in-depth documents, brochures, reports, and studies pertaining to the SST proposals from Boeing, Lockheed, and associated bid contractors General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. Also included is material on sonic boom research, congressional funding, private funding, and congressional and civilian antagonists, such as Senator Proxmire and Dr. Shurcliff, as well as the Anglo-French Concorde and Russian Tu144 SST programs. The collection also includes newsletters, executive committee papers, executive board activities and minutes of meetings, financial reports, awards, banquet programs, and photographs pertaining to Vierling's involvement the National Aviation Club from 1952 through 1972.

Biographical / Historical

The United States' Supersonic Transport (SST) program was initiated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1963. The program aimed for a Mach 2+ aircraft capable of carrying c.300 passengers with intercontinental range. The US aimed to outstrip the British Aerospace/Aerospatiale Concorde and Soviet Tu -144 programs through the use of advanced technology and materials. By the late 1960s contracts had been let to prime contractors Boeing (airframe) and General Electric (engines) but the program was four to five years behind the European and Soviet efforts, which had graduated to supersonic flight testing while the US program had yet to pass beyond the mockup stage. In 1971 the slow pace of technical; development, environmental concerns, high costs, and questions over the commercial feasibility of the aircraft led Congress to cancel the program.