High-Speed Flight: Aerodynamics Beyond the Speed of Sound

As aircraft performance advanced beyond the limitations of early aviation, the study of aerodynamics expanded into a new and far more complex field: high-speed flight. While the fundamental principles of lift, drag, stability, and control remain unchanged, aircraft operating at transonic and supersonic speeds are affected by additional aerodynamic phenomena that significantly influence performance, handling characteristics, and flight safety. This book explores the aerodynamic principles associated with high-speed flight, including compressibility effects, critical Mach number, shock waves, drag divergence, Mach tuck, transonic flight, and supersonic aerodynamics. These concepts form an essential part of advanced aeronautical knowledge and help explain the behavior of modern highperformance aircraft operating near or beyond the speed of sound. Developed as a companion volume to Flight Aerodynamics, this manual builds upon the fundamental principles of aerodynamics and extends them into the operational environment of high-speed flight. Each chapter combines theoretical explanations with practical aviation examples, allowing readers to understand not only the scientific principles involved, but also their direct application to aircraft performance and flight operations.