3 ms·
The key point you're missing is that subsonic and supersonic flows are very different - in terms of fluid dynamics, supersonic planes are not just faster than s
by NLips 8y ago
The key point you're missing is that subsonic and supersonic flows are very different - in terms of fluid dynamics, supersonic planes are not just faster than subsonic planes. Commercial jets and F1 cars are optimised for subsonic flows. To handle supersonic flight, you need to do things which are strange and suboptimal for subsonic travel. This is partly why subsonic planes don't look like concorde.
That's not to say cars won't have an effect on the design. Two avenues I can think of in particular are:
1) Concorde's shape made it _extremely_ noisey upon take-off. That's subsonic travel, so other subsonic vehicles might provide design inspiration (even though in some cases going supersonic may mean the inspiration has to be ignored)
2) Projects like Bloodhound SSC might provide inspiration.
- Theodores 8y agoI think I mentioned that F1 cars go a little bit slowly, however, the point I was making is that some thinking outside of the box is needed, from some area of engineering that is actually innovative. Innovation isn't just about funding, no amount of money sponged off the taxpayer and given to NASA and their greedy contractors will solve the problem. You need engineering talent and people who can bend the rules and do things that go beyond what can be learned from studying textbooks.
- NLips 8y agoYou did mention that "F1 cars go a little bit slowly". The difference is that speed is pretty much irrelevant. It's sub/trans/super-sonic that matters.