UNIT 9.

“Supersonic Aircrafts”

How do you think, what does “supersonic” mean?

Task 1. Study the list of the terms below:

speed of sound, civil use as airliners, hypersonic aircraft, thrust rocket, liquid
oxygen

Task 2. Match the two halves:

1) compressible   a) attack 
1) low b) velocity
2) short c) flow 
3) vortex d) span
4) angle of e) drag
5) flow f) sound
6) dimensionless g) lift
7) speed of h) quantity

Task 3. Read the text:

SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFTS

A supersonic aircraft is an aircraft able to fly faster than the speed of

sound (Mach number 1). Supersonic aircraft were developed in the second half of
the twentieth century and have been used almost entirely for research and military
purposes. Only two, Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144, ever entered service for
civil use as airliners. Fighter jets are the most common example of supersonic
aircraft.
The aerodynamics of supersonic flight is called compressible flow because
of the compression (physics) associated with the shock waves or “sonic boom”
created by any object travelling faster than sound.
Aircraft flying at speeds above Mach 5 are often referred to as hypersonic
aircraft.
 Air France Concorde at CDG Airport in 2003
History
The first aircraft to fly supersonically in level flight was the American Bell
X-1 experimental plane which was powered by a 6000-lb thrust rocket powered by
liquid oxygen and ethyl alcohol.
The majority of supersonic aircraft have been military or experimental
aircraft.
In the 1960s and '70s, many design studies for supersonic airliners were
done and eventually two types entered service, the Anglo-French Concorde and the
Soviet Tupolev Tu-144. However political, environmental and economic obstacles
and one fatal Concorde crash (in 2000) prevented them from being used to their
full commercial potential and these aircraft are no longer flying.
Design principles

Supersonic flight brings with it substantial technical challenges, as the

aerodynamics of supersonic flight are dramatically different from those of subsonic
flight (i.e., flight at speeds slower than that of sound). In particular, aerodynamic
drag rises sharply as the aircraft passes the transonic regime, requiring much
greater engine power and more streamlined airframes.
 Concorde, G-BOAB, in storage at London Heathrow Airport following the end
of all Concorde flying. This aircraft flew for 22,296 hours between its first flight
in 1976 and final flight in 2000.
Supersonic transports

A supersonic transport (SST) is a civil aircraft designed to transport

passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. The only supersonic civilian
aircraft to see service were the Soviet produced Tupolev Tu-144 which first flew in
1968 and was retired in 1997; and the Franco-British produced Concorde, which
first flew in 1969 and remained in service until 2003. Since 2003, there have been
no supersonic civilian aircraft in service.
A key feature of these designs is the ability to maintain supersonic cruise for
long periods, so low drag is essential to limit fuel consumption to a practical and
economic level. As a consequence, these airframes are highly streamlined and the
wings have a very short span. The requirement for low speeds when taking off and
landing is met by using vortex lift: as the aircraft slows, lift must be restored by
raising the nose to increase the angle of attack of the wing. The sharply swept
leading edge causes the air to twist as it flows over the wing, speeding up the
airflow locally and maintaining lift.
 Soviet TU-144, 1969 test flight
Supersonic fighter/attack jets

Supersonic fighters and related aircraft are sometimes called fast jets. They
make up the overwhelming majority of supersonic aircraft and some, such as
the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Dassault Mirage
III, have been produced in large numbers. Many military supersonic fighters and
similar aircraft of fourth- and fifth- generations are under development in several
countries, including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Iran and the United
States.
Task 4. Answer the following questions:

1. Give the general definition of supersonic aircraft.

2. Which two supersonic aircrafts entered the civil service?
3. What are the major challenges of supersonic flight?
4. Name the countries which develop supersonic fighters and similar
aircraft?
5. What are the major features of supersonic aircrafts design?
Task 5. Tell if the following statements are true or false:
 1. Since 2003, there have been no supersonic civilian aircraft in service.
2. The only supersonic civilian aircraft to see service were the Russian
produced Tupolev Tu-144 and the American-produced Concorde.
3. A supersonic aircraft is an aircraft able to fly faster than the speed of
light.
4. One fatal Concorde crash happened in 1998.
5. Supersonic fighters and related aircraft are sometimes called fast jets.
Task 6. Fill in the blanks:

design studies, challenges, vortex lift, speed of sound, hypersonic

1. Aircraft flying at speeds above Mach 5 are often referred to
as ___________ aircraft.
2. In the 1960s and '70s, many ________ _________ for supersonic
airliners were done.
3. Supersonic flight brings with it substantial technical ____________.
4. A supersonic transport (SST) is a civil aircraft designed to transport
passengers at speeds greater than the ________ ___ _________.
5. The requirement for low speeds when taking off and landing is met by
using _________ ______.
Task 7. Translate the text into your native language (Russian, Ukrainian,
Arabic, etc):

Mach number

In fluid dynamics, the Mach number (M or Ma) is a dimensionless

quantity representing the ratio of flow velocity past a boundary to the local speed
of sound.
M=U/C
where: M is the Mach number, U is the local flow velocity with respect to the
boundaries (either internal, such as an object immersed in the flow, or external,
like a channel), and C is the speed of sound in the medium.
 By definition, at Mach 1 the local flow velocity u is equal to the speed of
sound. At Mach 0.65 U is 65 % of the speed of sound (subsonic), and at Mach
1.35 U  is 35 % faster than the speed of sound (supersonic).