Reducing Turbulence

Shock waves explain why World War II pilots lost control of their aircraft in high-speed dives. As shock waves devel­op over the wing, they disturb the air so violently that the smooth flow breaks up into a swirling turbulent flow. The air­craft’s control surfaces are trapped inside this chaotic air. Robbed of the smooth airflow they need, they cease to work. The turbulence caused by shock waves is the reason for the violent shak­ing that World War II pilots experienced.

Modern supersonic aircraft do not suffer from these problems because of their shape. Their wings are thinner and more swept back, so they cut cleanly through the air and delay the formation of shock waves. When the aircraft goes faster than the speed of sound and the shock wave cone forms around it, the swept-back shape of the wings means that the whole aircraft fits neatly inside the shock cone and flies more smoothly.