Originally Posted by
PJSMITH0
That was on a 772 and speeds of up to 745 mph were recorded. Any pilots or technos know what would happen if the extra 25 mph was achieved and the aircraft passed through the sound barrier. Could a 747,77 or 380 take it?
It is called the "sound
barrier" because as you get relatively close to the speed of sound, you get an abrupt and substantial increase in drag. For early speed pioneers, the speed of sound really did feel like a barrier that was impossible to overcome.
[Essentially, as the air flows around your aircraft, it is forced to accelerate to get around any kind of obstacles in the way. If the airflow is already very fast, it can become locally supersonic, producing shock waves. These shock waves act as a powerful drag and impose significant stress on the airframe.]
You have to design your aircraft in a completely different way to get through this transonic speed region. In particular you want sharp, not round, edges facing into the flow and a minimal cross sectional area. Basically, the opposite of the whale.