Would anyone be interested in a simplified explanation of supersonic flight?

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
01/30/2016 at 08:54 • Filed to: None

I saw on the FP article about sonic booms some commenters asking about what a sonic boom is. As you know, I’m an aerospace engineer, and while I don’t work in aerodynamics I found it fascinating in school and did some extra research in one of my classes about transonic flight.

I think it could be fun to write a breakdown of supersonic flight, a simplified view of the science behind sonic booms, and some of the quirkier concepts for supersonic aircraft, but I don’t really want to take the time if no one is going to read it.

I might do it anyways, but I could be motivated more.

DISCUSSION (19)

Nibby > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 08:56

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 08:58

I’d be interested.

dailydoseofmindlessness > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 09:03

If you write it, it will be read. Thank you.

PatBateman > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 09:06

Plane go too fast. Plane make invisible waves when go too fast. Waves go boom.

The End.

Jayhawk Jake > PatBateman
01/30/2016 at 09:15

Basically this.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 09:16

Needs to have Jalop context. Tie it to land speed records.

http://time.com/4049585/bloodh…

http://www.landspeed.com/

Bman76s-ws6OtherAccount > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 09:18

Sure, I find high compressibility stalls especially interesting, although I think that applies more to transonic flight. Transonic seems to be where a lot of weirdness happens.

McMike > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 09:33

Does it bother you that these images are used whenever a sonic boom story is written?

Kinja'd!!!

ttyymmnn > PatBateman
01/30/2016 at 09:35

Kinja'd!!!

For some reason, I read that in Mongo’s voice.

Jayhawk Jake > McMike
01/30/2016 at 10:06

Somewhat. It is a good visualization of a shockwave though, even if it isn't what people think it is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vapor_con…

WilliamsSW > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 10:08

I would definitely read it - there are some big differences between subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flight that are fascinating to me. Particularly in the way that they influence aircraft design.

ttyymmnn > Jayhawk Jake
01/30/2016 at 10:10

I just came across this item while working on an Aviation History post:

From Wiki :

The Oklahoma City sonic boom tests , also known as Operation Bongo II , refer to a controversial experiment in which 1,253 sonic booms were carried out over Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , over a period of six months in 1964. The experiment, which ran from February 3 through July 29, 1964, inclusive, intended to quantify the effects of transcontinental supersonic transport (SST) aircraft on a city.

1,253 sonic booms over 176 days is more than 7 per day. That must have sucked.