Do planes go faster than sound?

Sound travels at about 344 m/s (761.2 mph). This is a bit faster than a civilian jet plane (a typical jet on its way from Chicago to New York travels at a peak speed of 550 mph). However, we have planes, mostly used by the military, that can equal and exceed the speed of sound.



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The 747-100, for instance, was tested up to Mach 0.99, almost breaking the sound barrier. Other 747s, such as Air Force One, have approached the sound barrier but never crossed it.

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' It's actually illegal to fly supersonic, or MACH 1, over the mainland of the United States. However, this event was cleared by the FAA.

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The power, or volume, of the shock wave depends on the quantity of air that is being accelerated, and thus the size and shape of the aircraft. As the aircraft increases speed the shock cone gets tighter around the craft and becomes weaker to the point that at very high speeds and altitudes no boom is heard.

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Fifty years ago, the federal government banned all civilian supersonic flights over land. The rule prohibits non-military aircraft from flying faster than sound so their resulting sonic booms won't startle the public below or concern them about potential property damage.

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Although Concorde and the Tu-144 were the first aircraft to carry commercial passengers at supersonic speeds, they were not the first or only commercial airliners to break the sound barrier.

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