Supersonic flight

Supersonic flight

Subsonic aerodynamics is simpler than Supersonic aerodynamics because the airsheets at different points along the plane often cannot affect each other in subsonic flight. Supersonic jets and rocket vehicles require several times greater thrust to push through the extra aerodynamic drag experienced within the transonic region (around Mach 0.85–1.2). At these speeds aerospace engineers can gently guide air around the fuselage of the aircraft without producing new shock waves, but any change in cross area farther down the vehicle leads to shock waves along the body. Designers use the Whitcomb area rule to minimize sudden changes in size.