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###### Department of Transportation

###### Federal Aviation Administration 

# AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. 

# ACTION:

Notice of meeting participation. 

# SUMMARY:

This notice advises interested persons that the FAA is participating in a panel session on civil supersonic aircraft research. The session will include presentations on current research programs and a question and answer session for attendees. The FAA is seeking to raise public awareness of the continuing technological advances in supersonic aircraft technology aimed at reducing the intensity of sonic boom. 

# DATES:

The public session will take place on October 24, 2008. The panel discussion is from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Rosemont, IL. 

# ADDRESSES:

The symposium is sponsored by the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) and will be held at the Hyatt Rosemont Hotel, 6350 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL. Attendance is open to all interested parties, and there are no fees to attend. The FAA panel discussion is the last item on the symposium agenda. 

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Laurette Fisher, Office of Environment and  Energy (AEE-100), Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue,  SW., Washington, DC 20591; facsimile (202) 267-5594, telephone (202) 267-3561. 

*Background:*                         Since March 1973, supersonic flight over land by civil aircraft has been prohibited in the United States. The Concorde was the only civil supersonic airplane that offered service to the United States, but that airplane is no longer in service.                     

                        The interest in supersonic aircraft technology has not disappeared. Current research is dedicated toward reducing the impact of sonic booms as they reach the ground, in an effort to make overland flight acceptable. Recent research has produced promising results for low boom intensity, and has renewed interest in developing supersonic civil aircraft that could be                               ( print page 58702)                            considered environmentally acceptable for supersonic flight over land.                     

The FAA is leading a panel discussion entitled, “State of the Art of Supersonics Aircraft Technology—What has progressed in science since 1973?” The purpose of this panel session is to raise public awareness on advances in supersonic technology, and for the FAA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and industry to get feedback from interested persons. 

Public involvement is essential in any future definition of an acceptable new standard that would allow supersonic flights over land. We anticipate that this will be the first of many meetings informing the public on developments in the research of shaped sonic booms and other technical and environmental challenges that need to be addressed in developing a new supersonic airplane. 

The FAA's presentation and panel discussion will take place on Friday, October 24, 2008, as part of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission Symposium. It will be held at the Hyatt Rosemont Hotel, 6350 N. River Road, Rosemont,  Illinois. 

                        More information about the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission can be found at its Web site,                         *www.oharenoise.org.*

Issued in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2008. 

Lynne Pickard, 

Acting Director of Environment and Energy.

 [FR Doc. E8-22898 Filed 10-6-08; 8:45 am] 

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