Module 5 - Application of High-Speed Flight and its Limitations

Question 1

when and where did the first trans-oceanic supersonic passenger flight took off from?

Answer 1

1976, London Heathrow Airport

Question 2

first successful commercial supersonic aircraft

Answer 2

the Concorde

Question 3

which airlines commercially operated the Concorde?

Answer 3

• British Airways
• Air France

Question 4

how many passengers did the Concorde service prior to its retirement?

Answer 4

2.5 million

Question 5

when was the Concorde taken out of service?

Answer 5

2003

Question 6

flight that is faster than the speed of sound

Answer 6

supersonic flight

Question 7

value of the speed of sound near sea-level

Answer 7

about 760 mph

Question 8

value of the speed of sound at cruising altitude of commercial aircraft

Answer 8

often less than 700 mph

Question 9

the ratio of an aircraft’s speed divided by the speed of sound

Answer 9

Mach number

Question 10

all current commercial aircraft are ____________, with Mach number _____________

Answer 10

subsonic, less than 1

Question 11

the typical cruising speed of a Boeing 777 airliner is _________

Answer 11

Mach 0.84

Question 12

flight near Mach 1 is called ____________

Answer 12

transonic

Question 13

aircraft typically fly at _____________ speeds only briefly while they accelerate from subsonic to supersonic or vice versa

Answer 13

transonic

Question 14

aircraft do not cruise near Mach 1 because they would experience _________

Answer 14

high drag

Question 15

supersonic flight is faster than Mach _____

Answer 15

1

Question 16

the Concorde cruised at about _________ when not over land

Answer 16

Mach 2.02

Question 17

flight faster than Mach ____ is known as hypersonic

Answer 17

5

Question 18

the space shuttle during reentry flew at about Mach _____

Answer 18

25

Question 19

an aircraft in flight creates a series of ______________ that travel outward in all directions and are perceived as sound

Answer 19

pressure waves

Question 20

the faster the aircraft move the more ____________ the pressure waves become

Answer 20

compressed

Question 21

as the aircraft speed increases above Mach 1, eventually the pressure waves merge into a shock wave generating a ____________

Answer 21

sonic boom

Question 22

although there has not been an accurate accounting of the costs, it was argued in 1976 that the official figure of ______________ had been a drastic underestimate, and that the program cost of Concorde was nearly ________________

Answer 22

£1.46 billion, £4.26 billion

Question 23

Concorde aircraft were expensive to operate, reportedly using almost __________ as much fuel per passenger mile as subsonic aircraft

Answer 23

three times

Question 24

of the ______ Concordes ever manufactured, _____ were sold to the state-owned carriers of Britain and France

Answer 24

20, 14

Question 25

how many Concordes did the British Airways and Air France own?

Answer 25

seven each

Question 26

Concorde tickets were generally priced at about _______ the regular first-class airfare on a comparable subsonic flight

Answer 26

twice

Question 27

the first country to provide commercial supersonic flights

Answer 27

the Soviet Union

Question 28

Soviet Union's commercial supersonic aircraft

Answer 28

Tupolev TU-144

Question 29

the Tupolev TU-144 was designed to fly Mach _____ and carry ______ passengers

Answer 29

2.2, 140

Question 30

what ended the Soviet Union's supersonic passenger jet ambition?

Answer 30

a fatal crash at the 1973 Paris Air Show

Question 31

the first Concorde flight route

Answer 31

London Heathrow to Bahrain

Question 32

when did the first Concorde flight take place?

Answer 32

January 1976

Question 33

Concorde cruising altitude

Answer 33

65000 ft

Question 34

disadvantages of high-speed flights

Answer 34

- need for considerable federal funding - lack of interest by the airlines - environmental concerns - cost - noise - profitability

Question 35

advantages of high-speed flights

Answer 35

- speed - range

Question 36

high-speed flight limitations or civil problems affecting both crew and passengers of high-speed aircraft

Answer 36

- Circadian dysrhythmia - high altitude - radiation - noise (sonic boom)

Question 37

Circadian dysrhythmia is colloquially called __________

Answer 37

jet lag

Question 38

caused by the desynchronization of the normal sleep and wakefulness cycle of the body with local time

Answer 38

Circadian dysrhythmia

Question 39

ways to minimize Circadian dysrhythmia

Answer 39

passengers should: - be well rested - be vaccinated - minimize alcohol intake and smoking - be allowed a day of rest to acclimate themselves to the local time, after flight

Question 40

effect of a 4-in hole in an aircraft

Answer 40

- cabin altitude can rise up to 30,000 ft - passengers can suffer from unconsciousness

Question 41

effect of a 6-in hole in an aircraft

Answer 41

- cabin altitude can rise up to 42,000 ft - passengers can suffer from unconsciousness and hypoxia (if oxygen was not administered immediately)

Question 42

effect of a 8-in hole in an aircraft

Answer 42

- cabin altitude can rise up to 53,000 ft - passengers can suffer from severe hypoxia (fatal)

Question 43

at which altitude does radiation pose a risk to passengers and crew?

Answer 43

60,000 ft

Question 44

average dose of radiation at 60,000 ft for transatlantic routes

Answer 44

1-5 mrem/hr

Question 45

average dose of radiation at 60,000 ft for trans-Siberian routes

Answer 45

1-5.5 mrem/hr or 3.9 mrem/flight

Question 46

exposure rates in excess of ___________ will alert the crew and _______________ will require descent to lower altitudes

Answer 46

10 mrem/hr, 50 mrem/hr

Question 47

advisable limits of radiation

Answer 47

- 5 rem/year (for normal people) - 3 rem in any 3 months (for radiation workers)

Question 48

the principal regulatory concern surrounding supersonic aircraft is the ___________

Answer 48

sonic boom

Question 49

a shock wave of pressure created by compression of sound waves as the air is displaced by the airframe traveling at or above Mach 1.0

Answer 49

sonic boom

Question 50

aircraft noise standards

Answer 50

- stage 5 limits - certification

Question 51

stage 5 standards compared to stage 4 standards

Answer 51

7 dB quieter

Question 52

stage 5 standards compared to stage 3 standards

Answer 52

17 dB quieter

Question 53

stage 5 standards compared to stage 2 standards

Answer 53

1/4 of the sound intensity

Question 54

noise certification standards pertain to the _________ itself

Answer 54

aircraft

Question 55

factors affecting sonic boom strength

Answer 55

- aircraft weight, shape, and length - aircraft altitude - aircraft maneuvers - location in sonic boom carpet - attitude

Question 56

which factor affecting sonic boom strength is the following: the bigger the aircraft is, the more air molecules push aside; thus, a big aircraft will produce a stronger sonic boom

Answer 56

aircraft weight, shape, and length

Question 57

the altitude of the aircraft and the strength of the sonic boom are _____________; as the altitude increases, the strength of the sonic boom _______________

Answer 57

reciprocal, decreases

Question 58

maneuvers such as pushovers, S-turns and accelerating can __________ the intensity of the shock wave

Answer 58

amplify

Question 59

a sonic boom hitting a concave topographic feature, will _____________ its intensity

Answer 59

increase

Question 60

a sonic boom hitting a convex topographic feature, will _____________ its intensity

Answer 60

decrease

Question 61

orientation of the aircraft’s axes relative to its direction of motion

Answer 61

attitude