Personally, I’m skeptical that humans will ever fly faster than the speed of sound. But I have my doubts that humans can fly at all. I mean, really, our arms make terrible wings, and trying to flap that fast is sure to sprain a shoulder or two.
Lucky for me, someone wrote an article in the October 1944 issue of Popular Science taking a stance I can get on board with. Quite simply, the author says man cannot fly faster than the speed of sound. Reports to the contrary are, rather unsurprisingly, wrong. The entire Mach speed nomenclature exists merely to simplify detailing speeds which we *CAN* reach in these flying human death chambers.
Trust me – this is an article worth reading in full – either my cut and paste whack-job with commentary or the original article linked above.
Can We Ever Fly Faster Than Sound?
A seemingly impassable barrier blocks the way to higher plane speeds. Can we hurdle it? Our aviation editor gives his views.
By C. B. COLBY
Drawings by STEWART ROUSE
DESPITE glowing newspaper reports, man cannot now fly at the speed of sound. In fact it is doubtful, according to the best authorities, that man has ever closely approached sonic speed (764 m.p.h, at sea level and 664 m.p.h, at 40,000 feet), let alone attain or exceed it. Speeds of over 500 m.p.h, in level flight are a serious challenge to design and power-plant engineers. Even in a terminal-velocity dive (straight down with all stops open), it is doubtful that any pilot has attained the speed of sound.
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