Transonic

Transonic is an aeronautics term referring to a range of velocities just below and above the speed of sound (about mach 0.8 - 1.3). It is defined as the range of speeds between critical mach, when some parts of the airflow over an aircraft become supersonic, and a higher speed, typically near Mach 1.2, when all of the airflow is supersonic. Between these speeds some of the airflow is supersonic, and some is not.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most modern jet powered aircraft spend a considerable amount of time in the transonic regime. This is particularly important due to an effect known as wave drag, which is prevalent in these speed ranges. Attempts to combat wave drag can be seen on all high-speed aircraft; most notable is the use of swept wings, but another common form is a wasp-waist fuselage as a side effect of the area rule.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See also:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• sound barrier
• speed of sound
• Prandtl-Glauert singularity

Aeronautics: Aeronautics is the science and practice of aircraft navigation. It is also used to refer to the engineering discipline related to the design, construction, and operation of aircraft. In relation to astronautics, aeronautics refers specifically to vehicles designed for travel within the atmosphere, ...

Speed of sound: :"Speed of Sound" is a single by Coldplay; see Speed of Sound (single)....

Critical mach: Critical mach is a aeronautics term that refers to the speed at which some of the airflow on a wing becomes supersonic. When this occurs the distribution of forces on the wing changes suddenly and dramatically, typically leading to a strong nose-down force on the aircraft. This effect led to a numbe...