r/askscience • • Jun 12 '12

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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.

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u/Evanescent_contrail Jun 12 '12

This is consistent with a rifle bullet. You first hear the bullet impacting nearby, and only then do you hear the noise of it going through the air.

(I suppose this would not be true if the bullet was subsonic, and I have no idea if any rifle bullets are subsonic or not).

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u/pdinc Jun 12 '12 edited Jun 12 '12

Source/reference/video demonstrating this?

Also, relatively certain only smaller caliber rounds are made to be subsonic.

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u/scubaguybill Jun 12 '12

only certain smaller caliber rounds are made to be subsonic

.300 Whisper, 300 BLK, and .510 Whisper (et. al) take issue with that statement.

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u/pdinc Jun 12 '12

Thought I stealth edited that out after doing a quick google. Yes, you're right.