transonic
Approaching sound's speed
Transonic describes speeds near the speed of sound—roughly 660 to 900 miles per hour at sea level.
At transonic speeds, airflow around an aircraft is partly subsonic and partly supersonic, creating turbulence and drag that challenged early aviation.
The transonic range marks the transition zone pilots must pass through to go supersonic: The jet encountered buffeting as it went transonic.
Propagating pressure disturbance
- compressibilityVolume reduction potential
- buffetingRepeated striking or jolting
- boundary layerViscous region near walls
- flutterRapid light movement
Turbine-engine-propelled airplane
- test pilotAviator who evaluates new aircraft
- diveHeadfirst water entry
- turbofanHigh-bypass aircraft engine
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
Chuck Yeager · flight envelope · cockpit · throttle · controllability · military aircraft · fighter jet
Propagating pressure disturbance
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- expansionIncrease in scope
- thermodynamicsScience of heat-energy relationships
- pressure gradientSpatial variation in force
Sudden important advance
- Mach 1Speed of sound
- shock wavePropagating pressure disturbance
- historicalOf documented times
- 1947Year after WWII ended
shock wave
Propagating pressure disturbance
- compressibilityVolume reduction potential
- buffetingRepeated striking or jolting
- boundary layerViscous region near walls
flutter · airflow · Mach number · nose cone · wind tunnel
jet aircraft
Turbine-engine-propelled airplane
- test pilotAviator who evaluates new aircraft
- diveHeadfirst water entry
- turbofanHigh-bypass aircraft engine
Chuck Yeager · altitude · flight envelope · cockpit · throttle · controllability · military aircraft · fighter jet
shock wave
Propagating pressure disturbance
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- expansionIncrease in scope
- thermodynamicsScience of heat-energy relationships
breakthrough
Sudden important advance
- Mach 1Speed of sound
- shock wavePropagating pressure disturbance
- historicalOf documented times
- aircraft speedshypersonic, cruising speed, takeoff speed, landing speed, stall speed
- sound physicsMach 1, Mach number, shock wave, propagation, compression
- SupersonicsMach number, shock wave, Mach 1, Mach 2, hypersonic
- aerodynamicsairflow, lift, drag, drag coefficient, turbulence
- ballisticsballistics, bullet, bullet drop, cartridge, trajectory
- fluid dynamicsfluid mechanics, fluid flow, turbulence, fluid motion, streamlines
transonicsubsonic
Below sound's speed
supersonic · stationary · hypersonic · low-speed · motionless
transonicincompressible flow
Fluid motion with constant density
subsonic · hypersonic · steady-state · laminar · predictable
sound, sonic, supersonic, aerodynamics, ultrasonic, subsonic, sonically, infrasonic, sound barrier