5 ms·
Not when transitioning -- sonic booms ("a sonic boom"?) are/is emitted continually at supersonic speeds.
by repsilat 9y ago
Not when transitioning -- sonic booms ("a sonic boom"?) are/is emitted continually at supersonic speeds.
- hwillis 9y agoThis is true, but there's also a significant shock when crossing the sound barrier as the shockwave front draws up against the body of the plane. That was one of the biggest factors in why it took so long to break the sound barrier- you've gotta blast right through it. Around the sound barrier the rapidly changing air pressure pulls on the plane in weird ways, for instance literally twisting the wings off spitfires. They couldn't predict most of those problems ahead of time.