No, pilots do not hear the sonic boom. The powerful sound waves created by an aircraft breaking the sound barrier are not heard by those on board the plane.
When an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound, it generates a shockwave that travels outward and backward from the plane. This shockwave, when it reaches an observer on the ground, is heard as a sonic boom.
Why Pilots Don't Hear It
The primary reason pilots and passengers inside the aircraft do not hear the sonic boom is because they are traveling with or ahead of the sound waves that produce the boom. Imagine a boat moving quickly through water; the wake it creates trails behind it. Similarly, the "boom carpet"—the area on the ground where the sonic boom is heard—unrolls behind the airplane, much like the wake of a ship.
- Relative Position: The aircraft is continuously outrunning the sound waves it generates at supersonic speeds. The boom is a trailing phenomenon.
- Pressure Waves: While people on board the airplane cannot hear the audible boom, pilots can sometimes see the subtle pressure waves forming around the plane as it transitions through the sound barrier.
Understanding Sonic Boom Perception
To further clarify who experiences a sonic boom, consider the following table:
| Aspect of Perception | Within the Supersonic Aircraft | On the Ground (within the boom carpet) |
|---|---|---|
| Audible Sonic Boom | No (traveling ahead of the sound) | Yes (heard as a sudden, thunder-like noise) |
| Visible Pressure Waves | Yes (pilots may observe them around the aircraft) | No (not directly visible from the ground) |
In essence, the sonic boom is an event experienced by observers on the ground, not by those inside the aircraft causing it.
