Description At high-subsonic flight speeds, the local speed of the airflow can reach the speed of sound where the flow accelerates around the aircraft body and wings. The speed at which this development occurs varies from aircraft to aircraft and is known as the critical Mach number. The resulting shock waves formed at these zones of sonic flow cause a sudden increase in drag, called wave drag. To reduce the number and strength of these shock waves, an aerodynamic shape should change in cross sectional area as smoothly as possible from front to rear.
Description At high-subsonic flight speeds the local speed of the airflow can reach the speed of sound where the flow accelerates around the aircraft body and wings The speed at which this development occurs varies from aircraft to aircraft and is known as the critical Mach number The resulting shock waves formed at these zones of sonic flow cause a sudden increase in drag called wave drag To reduce the number and strength of these shock waves an aerodynamic shape should change in cross sectional area as smoothly as possible from front to rear