Breaking the Sound Barrier
Overview
In 1947, Chuck Yeager (1923- ) became the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. Not only did he prove that the "sound barrier" could be broken, but he set in motion development that has led to the high-speed fighters that are critical to military defense. Commercial use of high-speed aircraft has been limited primarily to the Concorde, but plans exist for hypersonic flight (Mach 5 or higher).
Background
Aircraft went through a period of rapid development and commercialization after World War I, with the development of airmail and regular passenger flights. In addition, competitions, most notably the race to cross the Atlantic solo, captured public imagination and attracted investment. Airplanes became an essential weapon during World War II. The need for speed and maneuverability, particularly among fighters, spurred advances in design, including the development of jet engines.
Air superiority, particularly with a nuclear payload, became a life and death concern after the war. With the Eastern Bloc and Western Alliance locked in the Cold War, massive investments went into the design, construction, and testing of new aircraft. During what is now called the golden age of flying, test pilots regularly pushed new aircraft to their limits.
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