Sonic Boom

When was the last time you heard a sonic boom?

When I was a kid I heard sonic booms all the time it seemed.

Well, I heard one just yesterday and since we've been in Belgium, I've heard several sonic booms. I began to wonder why I hear them here, but haven't heard them in the States for a very long time.

You may already know this, but I didn't.

The Noise Control Act of 1972 prohibits supersonic flight over land in the U. S. with the exception of a few restricted areas.

This means that none of us in the States have heard a sonic boom in nearly 40 years. My kids have never heard a sonic boom!

There are no such regulations in Belgium so I suppose I will continue to hear them.

There are 3 Air Force bases near the western border of Germany and we live very close to that border. The planes may be coming from there or from another Air Base I learned is even closer.

You may know that NATO headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium, but you may not know that Allied C0mmand Operations (ACO) controlling all allied operations worldwide is also located in Belgium.

Since 1967 the ACO (aka SHAPE-Cheviers) has been located in the tiny village of Casteau, just south of Brussels and about an hour and a half from our house.

Casteau is on the Aubrecheuil River, has a 13th century church, and the remains of a castle. Probably worth a visit. Oh, and there's a brewery. It is Belgium after all! Casteau would move up on my bucket list. If I had one. And I don't.

The Augrenoise Brewery is part of an educational project to integrate people with disabilities. The staff (all volunteers) brew beer once a month using water from a natural source on the site. Here's the best part. About once a month they brew beer and the public is invited to participate! The next brew days are Feb 5 and Feb 26.

That settles it. It's on my calendar.