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16
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PLAIN TRUTH
Onobcr-November 1970
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Fly Now- Environment Pays Later?
It hasn't even entered service yet, but the supersonic
transport (SST) is under fire again. And this time it involves
more than the ominous threat of alJ-pervasive sonic booms.
An environmental study group has warned that super-
KeyJ,one
The Concorde 002, prototype of the Anglo-French SST,
takes off from airport near Bristol on history-making
moiden flight, April 9, 1969.
sonic transports could change the world's climate by creating
permanent layers of pollution in the stratosphere.
The scientists saíd that gases and particles from a single
SST jet would remain for three years in the windless upper
reaches of the earth's atmosphere. (The SSTs will cruise at
altitudes of 50,000 to 70,000 feet.) And, if SSTs Ay in large
numbers they will create a new layer of stratospheric smog
that could remain forever.
A buildup of water content in the stratosphere could
conceivably create a more-or-less permanent cloud cover at
certain latitudes, with unpredictable effects on weather around
the world. The water vapor would also destroy sorne fraction
of the ozone in that part of the atmosphere - and ozone
plays a key role in shielding the earth from ultraviolet rays
of the sun.
What is an SST really like? Our man in London
witnessed the first test run of the Anglo-French version, the
"Concorde." He writes:
"l've never heard anything so deafening.
1
very literally
could not hear myself shout to my photographer right next
to me. True,
1
was only l50 yards from the brute as it sat
there motionless on the runway, brakes hard on, straining
under the .fierce thmst of its stupendous Rolls Royce engines
undergoing a static full-power ground test. But 1 have often
been that close to ordinary subsonic jet airliners under full–
power conditions. They aren't nearly that loud. The experts
say that the Concorde is as loud as four of the biggest con-
ventiooal jets, and may be up to 50 times as loud as sorne.
I
believe them oow!
"I was dizzy afterwards and my photographer had a
headache all day from just those few seconds of agonizing,
pain-level noise.
"Then just as impress ively it lcaped off its brakcs and
thundered clown the runway, shooting four great orange
Aamcs from its roaring engines and generating a cloud of
smoke and [umes unlikc anything I have ever seen. At big
airports
1
have often noticed how dirty sorne of the smaller,
newer, short-range jcts are. But this beast is unbelievable.
The whole cxperience left me both physically and emotionally
shaken.
If
supersonic travel is worth
al!
of this, 1'11 be
surprised. I try to keep an open mind, but you can't blame
me for wondering."
Even costwise, the SST is qucstionable. An American
transportatio.n expert, labelling the SST an "economic Edsel,"
reports:
"Before the United States could begrn commercial pro–
duction of the SST, sorne Stl or
$5
bi llion would be needed
and the additional funds are not now in sight.
"lt wi ll cost sorne S50 or
$60
million to build just one
SST. This is more money than one airline makes in a single
year. The SST could bankrupt several of the airlines."
But the rivalry of international air superiority is so great
that it is likely no argument, even that of g reat damage to
global environment,
JS
going to slow clown the mee to
develop the SST.
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•
11
Corporate Survival Center
11
As civil strife becomes a way of life, American corpora–
tions are inveoting ingenious ways to hide from other
Americans.
Midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Cali–
fornia, a gargantuan underground shclter is beiog planned.
Construction is expected to bcgin next year.
The purpose of the $10 million, 200-acre "corporate sur–
viva! center"? To protect business executives and their records
from nuclear attack. But the main interest in the project is
industry's growing fear of riots, bombing attacks and other
forms of civil insurrection.
The shelter will be capable of housing 1,000 executives
and office personnel for up to 30 days at a depth of 40 feet.
A computer center, a largc records storage unit, a commu–
nications center, offices, living quarters, a prodigious cafe–
tería, doctor's and dentist's offices, and even a morgue will all
be included in the underground maze. Topping off the com–
plcx will be a jet Janding strip for quick and easy access.
Sorne firms plan to set up alternative headquarters in the
undcrground complex as soon as it is ready. Banks, oil com–
panies, construction and manufacturing firms have shown the
biggest intcrest. The price tag for space ioside the shelter is
$100,000 per corporation a year, with a 10-year lease.
According to a project official, "There are organizations
on which we would fall back in case of disaster. Sorne people
have got to survive whatever happens and sorne people with
know-how must be around to start a new economy."