Supersonic flight?

Question

this is a simple question that ive been thinking about for a while.

would supersonic (or hypersonic) flight be more or less smooth than subsonic flight, and why?

Answer 1

Super sonic would probably be smoother because it would most likely fly HIGHER and less air (for less air turbulence).

Good Luck...

Answer 2

supersonic or hyper sonic flights would be smoother.

they would necessarily need to fly higher for less air resistance, which means saving fuel and reducing heat buildup.

there is just about no weather at the altitude supersonic aircraft fly. (60,000 feet and up)there is still wind, but no turbulence or clouds. Some people would also say that these SSTs would just plow through uneven air like a bullet so you don't feel much.

after going supersonic, it is quieter too.

for hypersonic aircraft, it isn't even worth mentioning, they fly at the edge of space.

Answer 3

Both (super/hypersonic) aircraft would ride out the roughness/patches faster than a sub-sonic aircraft, and, would be comparatively smoother. Hypersonic aircraft for sure would be very smooth since they would fly in the outer fringes of the atmosphere where air is smooth (without the disturbances caused by the earth form).

Answer 4

Depends on what you mean by "smooth". The air is likely to be smooth. At those speeds you can get afffects like control surface flutter, and the wings can actually warp causing the ailerons to work in reverse. I wouldn't consider any of that a "smooth" flight. Depends on the aircraft.

Answer 5

If you are talking about commercial transport, the only (significant) supersonic aircraft in that category was the Concorde.  It flew around 60,000 feet, and at that level there is practically no weather, so flights tended to be glassy smooth in cruise.  It flew that high to save fuel, but the smooth ride was a happy bonus.