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What happens when a jet flies at supersonic speeds?
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). Aircraft flying at speeds above Mach 5 are often referred to as hypersonic aircraft.
How does a supersonic jet engine work?
Unlike regular jet engines, there are no compressor blades inside to compress the air. In a ramjet, supersonic air is slowed down to subsonic speed inside the jet engine. But in a scramjet, the air moves through the engine at supersonic speeds.
Which engines are used to fly at supersonic speed?
The Concorde supersonic transport had an ogival delta wing, a slender fuselage and four underslung Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 engines….High costs.
| Aircraft | Concorde | Boeing 747-400 |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger miles/US gallon | 14 | 91 |
| Litres/passenger 100 km | 16.6 | 3.1 |
How does a supersonic intake work?
SUPERSONIC INLETS For a supersonic aircraft, the inlet must slow the flow down to subsonic speeds before the air reaches the compressor. Some supersonic inlets, like the one at the upper right, use a central cone to shock the flow down to subsonic speeds.
What is the speed of supersonic jet?
For aircraft speeds which are greater than the speed of sound, the aircraft is said to be supersonic. Typical speeds for supersonic aircraft are greater than 750 mph but less than 1500 mph, and the Mach number M is greater than one, 1 < M < 3.
How fast is supersonic speed?
Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound (Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately 343.2 m/s (1,126 ft/s; 768 mph; 667.1 kn; 1,236 km/h).
What is the fastest supersonic jet?
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest jet aircraft in the world, reaching speeds of Mach 3.3–that’s more than 3,500 kph (2,100 mph) and almost four times as fast as the average cruising speed of a commercial airliner. Key elements of the SR-71’s design made this possible.
How do supersonic planes slow down?
An aircraft flying subsonically pushes through the air ahead of it, with each molecule of air having plenty of time to pass over its wings and fuselage. The cone shape of the spike also incrementally reduces the speed of the incoming supersonic air without producing a drastic loss of pressure.
What is a subsonic jet?
A subsonic aircraft is an aircraft with a maximum speed less than the speed of sound (Mach 1). The term technically describes an aircraft that flies below its critical Mach number, typically around Mach 0.8.
Why are Jets able to use supersonic air?
Typically jets cannot operate when intake airflow is supersonic relative to the engine. Why is this so? Also, why are scramjets able to use supersonic air? To slow down the air to subsonic speeds,… Stack Exchange Network
Why is the inlet lip of a supersonic jet engine sharpened?
The inlet lip is sharpened to minimize the performance losses from shock waves that occur during supersonic flight. For a supersonic aircraft, the inlet must slow the flow down to subsonic speeds before the air reaches the compressor.
What is the aerodynamics of supersonic flight called?
The aerodynamics of supersonic flight is called compressible flow because of the compression associated with the shock waves or ” sonic boom ” created by any object travelling faster than sound. Aircraft flying at speeds above Mach 5 are often referred to as hypersonic aircraft.
What are the technical challenges of supersonic flight?
Supersonic flight brings with it substantial technical challenges, as the aerodynamics of supersonic flight are dramatically different from those of subsonic flight (i.e., flight at speeds slower than that of sound).