Concorde and Sonic Booms
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 434
Concorde and Sonic Booms
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?--what about people in NY and the UK, do they hear it when it approaches ?--Is this problematic to people who have heart conditions ?
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2000
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by crazy canuck:
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?</font>
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?</font>
#3
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Posts: 4,952
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by crazy canuck:
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?</font>
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?</font>
For whatever reason, except for the take-off taxi, I never had a terrific grasp for the actual speed because when you really achieve the higher speeds, you don't really have landmarks or objects to use a reference for gauging your speed (well, except for the clouds). Passing things during the initial taxi and rotation was crazy-fast for me, a sensation that I certainly have never felt on a subsonic aircraft.
I would be interested in other people's feelings as well.
[This message has been edited by dsimon (edited 06-04-2003).]
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,656
Crazy Canuck, you mind find this link about sonic booms and the Doppler effect useful:
http://www.gmi.edu/~drussell/Demos/doppler/doppler.html
http://www.gmi.edu/~drussell/Demos/doppler/doppler.html
#5
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by crazy canuck:
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?--what about people in NY and the UK, do they hear it when it approaches ?--Is this problematic to people who have heart conditions ?</font>
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde ?--what about people in NY and the UK, do they hear it when it approaches ?--Is this problematic to people who have heart conditions ?</font>
Are you trying for a record - The most questions asked about a Concorde flight by one person? I'm beginning to think you are a Troll.
Concorde does not exceed Mach 1 until over the Atlantic ex-JFK and the Bristol Channel ex-LHR, therefore the sonic boom doesn't affect anyone. The simple explanation for why you cannot hear it is very simple - you are travelling faster than sound so you leave it behind you.
As for people with heart conditions, BA advise that they should not fly Concorde. The excitement will probably kill them.
#6
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Gaza:
Concorde does not exceed Mach 1 until over the Atlantic ex-JFK and the Bristol Channel ex-LHR, therefore the sonic boom doesn't affect anyone. The simple explanation for why you cannot hear it is very simple - you are travelling faster than sound so you leave it behind you.</font>
Concorde does not exceed Mach 1 until over the Atlantic ex-JFK and the Bristol Channel ex-LHR, therefore the sonic boom doesn't affect anyone. The simple explanation for why you cannot hear it is very simple - you are travelling faster than sound so you leave it behind you.</font>
#7
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Exec Club - Lowly Blue
Posts: 162
dsimon
As you say, unless you are watching the Marilake displays in each cabin, it is very likely that you will be unaware that the aircraft has become supersonic.
The only other clue is that a number of camera flash-guns will start going off as the photography starts!
If I may just mention one point, I would suggest that the nudges you felt were in fact when the re-heats were selected back on at the start of the acceleration to supersonic flight, rather than at the moment the aircraft actually passed through the sound barrier.
The re-heats are selected back on, in pairs, at Mach 0.95, to provide additional thrust to help Concorde accelerate through the high drag transonic region as quickly as possible.
There is no way to accelerate the re-heats gently up to full power, they are either ON or OFF, and because of this they do tend to cause a slight "nudge" (in the back of your seat) as they light up.
They are selected on in pairs, rather than all four together, to reduce one larger nudge to two smaller ones.
Lest any nervous flyers be disconcerted by this, it is normal practice for the Captain to make a brief PA, just prior to selecting re-heats, to explain what is about to happen.
The take-off is rather special isn't it!
Best Regards
Bellerophon
As you say, unless you are watching the Marilake displays in each cabin, it is very likely that you will be unaware that the aircraft has become supersonic.
The only other clue is that a number of camera flash-guns will start going off as the photography starts!
If I may just mention one point, I would suggest that the nudges you felt were in fact when the re-heats were selected back on at the start of the acceleration to supersonic flight, rather than at the moment the aircraft actually passed through the sound barrier.
The re-heats are selected back on, in pairs, at Mach 0.95, to provide additional thrust to help Concorde accelerate through the high drag transonic region as quickly as possible.
There is no way to accelerate the re-heats gently up to full power, they are either ON or OFF, and because of this they do tend to cause a slight "nudge" (in the back of your seat) as they light up.
They are selected on in pairs, rather than all four together, to reduce one larger nudge to two smaller ones.
Lest any nervous flyers be disconcerted by this, it is normal practice for the Captain to make a brief PA, just prior to selecting re-heats, to explain what is about to happen.
The take-off is rather special isn't it!
Best Regards
Bellerophon
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 434
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Bellerophon:
dsimon
As you say, unless you are watching the Marilake displays in each cabin, it is very likely that you will be unaware that the aircraft has become supersonic.
The only other clue is that a number of camera flash-guns will start going off as the photography starts!
If I may just mention one point, I would suggest that the nudges you felt were in fact when the re-heats were selected back on at the start of the acceleration to supersonic flight, rather than at the moment the aircraft actually passed through the sound barrier.
The re-heats are selected back on, in pairs, at Mach 0.95, to provide additional thrust to help Concorde accelerate through the high drag transonic region as quickly as possible.
There is no way to accelerate the re-heats gently up to full power, they are either ON or OFF, and because of this they do tend to cause a slight "nudge" (in the back of your seat) as they light up.
They are selected on in pairs, rather than all four together, to reduce one larger nudge to two smaller ones.
Lest any nervous flyers be disconcerted by this, it is normal practice for the Captain to make a brief PA, just prior to selecting re-heats, to explain what is about to happen.
The take-off is rather special isn't it!
Best Regards
Bellerophon</font>
dsimon
As you say, unless you are watching the Marilake displays in each cabin, it is very likely that you will be unaware that the aircraft has become supersonic.
The only other clue is that a number of camera flash-guns will start going off as the photography starts!
If I may just mention one point, I would suggest that the nudges you felt were in fact when the re-heats were selected back on at the start of the acceleration to supersonic flight, rather than at the moment the aircraft actually passed through the sound barrier.
The re-heats are selected back on, in pairs, at Mach 0.95, to provide additional thrust to help Concorde accelerate through the high drag transonic region as quickly as possible.
There is no way to accelerate the re-heats gently up to full power, they are either ON or OFF, and because of this they do tend to cause a slight "nudge" (in the back of your seat) as they light up.
They are selected on in pairs, rather than all four together, to reduce one larger nudge to two smaller ones.
Lest any nervous flyers be disconcerted by this, it is normal practice for the Captain to make a brief PA, just prior to selecting re-heats, to explain what is about to happen.
The take-off is rather special isn't it!
Best Regards
Bellerophon</font>
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 434
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Dave_C:
Crazy Canuck, you mind find this link about sonic booms and the Doppler effect useful:
http://www.gmi.edu/~drussell/Demos/doppler/doppler.html</font>
Crazy Canuck, you mind find this link about sonic booms and the Doppler effect useful:
http://www.gmi.edu/~drussell/Demos/doppler/doppler.html</font>
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 434
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Gaza:
Your handle is very appropriate.
Are you trying for a record - The most questions asked about a Concorde flight by one person? I'm beginning to think you are a Troll.
Concorde does not exceed Mach 1 until over the Atlantic ex-JFK and the Bristol Channel ex-LHR, therefore the sonic boom doesn't affect anyone. The simple explanation for why you cannot hear it is very simple - you are travelling faster than sound so you leave it behind you.
As for people with heart conditions, BA advise that they should not fly Concorde. The excitement will probably kill them. </font>
Your handle is very appropriate.
Are you trying for a record - The most questions asked about a Concorde flight by one person? I'm beginning to think you are a Troll.
Concorde does not exceed Mach 1 until over the Atlantic ex-JFK and the Bristol Channel ex-LHR, therefore the sonic boom doesn't affect anyone. The simple explanation for why you cannot hear it is very simple - you are travelling faster than sound so you leave it behind you.
As for people with heart conditions, BA advise that they should not fly Concorde. The excitement will probably kill them. </font>
I'm guessing your comment was tongue in cheek...as was mine
#12
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by crazy canuck:
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde?</font>
Do you hear or feel the sonic boom when you are on the concorde?</font>
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,901
Crazy Canuk
I am with Gaza on this one. Try keeping sll your questions on one thread so we don't have a whole page of seperate questions from you when we jump into the forum. Also this will help others when they have a question regarding Concorde. When they use the search feature they will be able to find all the answers in one place
I am with Gaza on this one. Try keeping sll your questions on one thread so we don't have a whole page of seperate questions from you when we jump into the forum. Also this will help others when they have a question regarding Concorde. When they use the search feature they will be able to find all the answers in one place
#14
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: Still a lowly Blue with BA but inching towards Bronze. Managed to get to KLM Silver!
Posts: 4,308
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LondonElite:
You certainly do. I thought I had gone deaf wwhen we went though the sound barrier, but it turned out that, because we were going faster than the speed of sound, my words were already behind me when they came out of my mouth. Only the people 15 rows behind me could hear what I was saying. (Of course I could here the conversation between the pilot and the flight engineer!)</font>
You certainly do. I thought I had gone deaf wwhen we went though the sound barrier, but it turned out that, because we were going faster than the speed of sound, my words were already behind me when they came out of my mouth. Only the people 15 rows behind me could hear what I was saying. (Of course I could here the conversation between the pilot and the flight engineer!)</font>
#15
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: London, UK
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Posts: 6,070
Well when I'm at the cottage in Cornwall (Sennan Cove) I've heard the boom sometimes.
Guess this is the last summer that will happen
Guess this is the last summer that will happen