This lecture is part of a course from The Great Courses called The Science of Flight taught by Professor James W. Gregory, Ph.D.. This course and over 300 other courses can be accessed with a subscription to Wondrium.
What made the sound barrier such a difficult challenge for early flight pioneers, and why did it represent such a fundamental breakthrough for the future of aviation? In this lecture delivered by Professor James W. Gregory, we take an inside look at the basic scientific problems surrounding supersonic flight that had to be solved, including wing design, high-speed air pressure dynamics, and the mechanical dangers that made many in the scientific community conclude it simply wasn’t possible to fly faster than sound. Gregory provides helpful animations and archive footage to illustrate how test pilot Chuck Yeager finally broke the barrier in 1947, ushering in the jet age that we still benefit from, and even take for granted today.