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Shurcliff thinks the SST will be obsolete before it is built. The Concorde will be flying by 1971, probably four years before the SST, and its headstart may cut into the SST's market. (Three hundred of the 40 million dollar SST's must be sold to airlines before the project can pass the break-even point). Also, another plane will be in the air by 1971, a conventionally-designed, subsonic "jumbo jet." This jet will carry upwards of 500 passengers (against 280 for the SST) at 700 miles per hour without a sonic boom; its proven design will...
Shurcliff first read of the SST in a scientific article by Lundberg about four years ago. Lundberg listed several of the SST's defects. "I was so amazed I practically memorized the article," Shurcliff remembers, and began writing letters to find out more about the SST...
...five hours every night writing letters to Congressmen and FAA officials and preparing news releases, which he sent to a selected list of 180 newspapers, 40 radio and television stations, and 30 "key individuals." He wrote to the mayors of cities which would be most directly affected by the SST, and mailed out application blanks which invite prospective members, "Do join this League! No dues...
Although he claims not to enjoy all the publicity, Shurcliff has developed a sure public relations touch. When Transportation Secretary Alan Boyd announced that transcontinental SST's might fly subsonic over the populated eastern half of the country and then supersonic from Chicago to Califor- nia, Shurcliff immediately wrote to western political leaders pointing out how little the SST's proponents seemed to care for the west's peace and quiet...
Obviously, grass roots organizational success, although impressive, will never be enough. The fact that the League hears regularly from a Chicago woman every time a military plane's boom damages her house means little; the SST's fate lies with Congress. The House recently voted SST appropriations for another year, and that bill is now in the Senate. Shurcliff is the first to admit that the chances of killing off the SST this fall in Congress look very slight. Only six Senators have expressed definite support for the League. And Shurcliff thinks many people have been confused by the Federal...