Mach number Mach number In fluid dynamics, the Mach number (M or Ma) (; ) is a dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of flow velocity past a boundary to the local speed of sound. where: By definition, at Mach1, the local flow velocity is equal to the speed of sound. At Mach0.65, is 65% of the speed of sound (subsonic), and, at Mach1.35, is 35% faster than the speed of sound (supersonic). The local speed of sound, and thereby the Mach number, depends on the condition of the surrounding medium, in particular the temperature. The Mach number is primarily used to determine
Mach tuck aircraft was very stable in this condition making recovery from the dive very difficult. Dive recovery (auxiliary) flaps were added to the underside of the wing (P-38J-LO) to increase the wing lift and downwash at the tail to allow recovery from transonic dives. Mach tuck Mach tuck is an aerodynamic effect whereby the nose of an aircraft tends to pitch downward as the airflow around the wing reaches supersonic speeds; the aircraft will first experience this effect at significantly below Mach 1. This speed is known as the critical Mach number of the wing. Mach tuck is usually caused by