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Old 2nd Oct 2006, 12:35
  #190 (permalink)  
rlsbutler
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
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We have alluded to low and medium altitude incidents, reviewing straight impacts of various sorts.

Is someone out there equipped to consider the implications of transonic airflow when two wings are passing as in this high altitude situation ?

In the very tightest case you have two boundary layers passing at relative supersonic speeds. Further apart there will surely be venturi-effect acceleration between the nearest parts of each aircraft, perhaps generating a local shock wave. Might this be sufficient to cause wing panels to pop out ?

If that might happen, hinges and control surfaces might also be affected.
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