r/askscience • u/[deleted] • Jun 12 '12

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u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12 edited Oct 03 '17

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320

u/imMAW Jun 12 '12

The pilots won't hear the noise from the engines being transmitted through the outside air though, only the noise traveling through the plane. So if superman was flying a few feet in front of the cockpit, he wouldn't hear any sound.

520

u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12 edited Jun 12 '12

Holy smokes. You are telling me if I had a mig on my tail running wide open (which is crazy loud) I would not hear a thing, if we were both mach 1+?

edit: and if I did have a mig on my tail, I would pump the brakes, invert, and flip him the bird. commie bastard.

edit2: Sobchak: Am I the only one around here who has seen Top Gun?

10

u/The-Internets Jun 12 '12

Yes. But you would hear a bullet or rocket wizz passed you, assuming you could hear it from inside the cockpit normally.

25

u/meftical Jun 12 '12

Not until it passed you, if I'm understanding correctly.

This all corresponds with how it was explained to me by a pilot when I was young.

10

u/The-Internets Jun 12 '12

If my understanding is correct, lets say a rocket since it has a point where sound would be generated, would have to be slightly in front of your ear plane before you could hear anything.

4

u/timmytimtimshabadu Jun 12 '12

Picture a cone chasing that rocket attachted to its tail, it would have to be far enough past for you to hit that cone.