Hypothetical sonic boom

[Pi1otguy]

Random hypothetical that's been floating in head since turkey day.

If an aircraft flies at exactly mach 1 would the pressure waves compress, increase in amplitude and then eventually destroy it?

I'm assuming that since it never leaves the wavefront that it gradually builds in amplitude.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Certainly not if either Chuck Norris or David White is flying it.

 

[poadeleted20]

No. In any event, while the Mach meter may say "1.00," the flow over some parts may go supersonic before then (perhaps as low as 0.94) and the flow over other parts may still be subsonic even after the sensor in free air is experiencing Mach 1.00. The dodos flying an F-111F up at Benbecula in Scotland back in the 1980's were only seeing 0.96 on the Mach tape, but they were still generating enough of a shock wave to knock the RBS shack off its foundation -- annoyed the RAF big-time, and the USAF had to pony up the £ to cover the damage, which annoyed the USAF, too.

And no, I was never in the F-111F, just the E and D models.