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Can a combat aircraft fly at a Mach number higher than its exhaust Mach number?
A supersonic aircraft is an aircraft capable of supersonic flight, which is an aircraft able to fly faster than the speed of sound (Mach number 1). Fighter jets are the most common example of supersonic aircraft.
Was Concorde faster than a fighter jet?
With superlative service and cuisine, exclusive airport lounges and stratospherically high airfares, Concorde passengers flew far above other flights, and cruised faster than fighter jets to their destinations.
How does a turbojet engine work?
A turbojet engine is a gas turbine engine that works by compressing air with an inlet and a compressor (axial, centrifugal, or both), mixing fuel with the compressed air, burning the mixture in the combustor, and then passing the hot, high pressure air through a turbine and a nozzle.
Which planes can break the sound barrier?
The fastest official recorded speed for a jet, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, clocked in at a truly surreal 2,193 miles per hour. While this is the only plane that can go that fast, there are plenty of jets that are capable of breaking the sound barrier, also known as Mach 1.
Why was the Concorde so special?
Concorde used to reach to 60,000 ft, a height of over 11 miles. So passengers were able to see curvature of the Earth. Concorde had a take-off speed of 220 knots (250 mph) and a cruising speed of 1350mph – more than twice the speed of sound. Its landing speed was 187 mph.
Why was Concorde so fast?
Concorde was a comparatively light aircraft, with a 185-tonne MTOW compared to 333 tonnes for the Boeing 747-100. As such, its engine technology made a big difference in allowing it to ‘supercruise’ at more than twice the speed of sound.
Why is turbojet engine important?
Turbojets can be highly efficient for supersonic aircraft. Turbojets have poor efficiency at low vehicle speeds, which limits their usefulness in vehicles other than aircraft. Turbojet engines have been used in isolated cases to power vehicles other than aircraft, typically for attempts on land speed records.
What are turbojet engines used in?
Turbojets. Jet engines are used to propel commercial airliners and military aircraft. The simplest version of aircraft jet engines is a turbojet. Turbojets were used on the first jet powered aircraft, the German Messerschmidt Me 262 used in World War II.
How did the Concorde’s engines differ from other jets?
The location and type of engines on the Concorde’s was different from on other jets. Airbus 320 in-flight: Note that the engines are attached underneath the wing with struts. The Concorde’s engines were attached directly to the underside of the wing without engine struts. This design reduced air turbulence and makes for a more stable engine.
How much fuel did the Concorde use?
The engines on the Concorde provided the thrust necessary for takeoff, cruising and landing. The Concorde had four Rolls Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 turbo jet engines. Each engine generated 18.7 tons (180 kN) of thrust. Together, the four engines burned 6,771 gallons (25,629 liters) of fuel per hour.
What would have happened if the Concorde had reached supersonic speeds?
At supersonic speeds, engine struts would be overstressed and likely to break. The Concorde’s engines used afterburners to gain additional thrust to reach supersonic speeds.
What was the first supersonic plane to fly faster than Mach?
The Soviet Union built the delta-wing Tupolev Tu-144, which made its maiden flight in December 1968 and which in June 1969 was the first passenger jet to fly faster than Mach… …the beautiful supersonic transport (SST) Concorde airliner, the first example of which flew on March 2, 1969.