Did the Concorde have a sonic boom?


Did the Concorde have a sonic boom? Because of the thunderous sonic boom Concorde trailed behind it whenever it flew faster than Mach 1, the speed of sound. As much as Americans embrace speed and convenience, the Concorde's nerve-jangling bang was unacceptable, especially since most could never afford to fly it.


Did Concorde use afterburners?

Afterburning was added to Concorde for take-off to cope with weight increases that came after the initial design. It was also used to accelerate through the high-drag transonic speed range, not because the extra thrust was required, but because it was available and improved the operating economics.


Could you hear the sonic boom on the Concorde?

People inside the plane didn't hear a thing. In fact, the transition to supersonic flight was so unimpressive that they decided to install a “mach meter” inside the passenger cabin so that people would know then they passed the speed of sound.


Can you feel a sonic boom on Concorde?

No. The sonic boom is the equivalent of a bow-wave on a boat and is continuous behind the supersonic aircraft. An observer on the ground would hear one “boom” as that wave passes by but every point along the ground under the supersonic aircraft will experience the “boom.”


Why was Concorde nose tilted?

Its “droop nose,” designed so pilots could lower the front cone for better visibility during takeoff and landing, was disabled when the plane was decommissioned and drained of hydraulic fuel. Conservators and volunteers, however, are now working to reactivate the feature.


Do jet pilots hear the sonic boom?

This path is known as the “boom carpet. If you're WONDERing about how pilots handle sonic booms, they actually don't hear them. They can see the pressure waves around the plane, but people on board the airplane can't hear the sonic boom. Like the wake of a ship, the boom carpet unrolls behind the airplane.


Can Concorde fly subsonic?

Concorde were allowed to fly over land, but subsonically only. The Concorde was terribly inefficient, relatively speaking, at subsonic velocity in general. At supersonic speeds, the shockwave could cause real damage on the ground. Concorde was capable of Mach 2.04, 1,354 mph and cruised at altitude at 1,340 mph.


What will replace the Concorde?

Boom Supersonic, the US plane manufacturer, plans to have the answer with its new Overture jet, which is set to transport customers at twice the speed of today's fastest commercial aircraft, and is regarded as the new Concorde.


Why was Concorde so fast?

Concorde used the most powerful pure jet engines flying commercially. The Aircraft's four engines took advantage of what is known as 'reheat' technology, adding fuel to the final stage of the engine, which produced the extra power required for take-off and the transition to supersonic flight.


Will Concorde ever fly again?

Technical, financial, and regulatory hurdles make a return to the skies extremely unlikely. Concorde is an aircraft that captures the imagination and is instantly recognizable even to non-aviation fanatics.


Why are sonic booms illegal?

Fifty years ago, the federal government banned all civilian supersonic flights over land. The rule prohibits non-military aircraft from flying faster than sound so their resulting sonic booms won't startle the public below or concern them about potential property damage.