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Asanaircraftmovesthroughtheair,theairmoleculesneartheaircraftaredisturbedandmovearoundtheaircraft.Exactly
howtheairreactstotheaircraftdependsupontheratioofthespeedoftheaircrafttothespeedofsoundthroughtheair.
Becauseoftheimportanceofthisspeedratio,aerodynamicistshavedesignateditwithaspecialparametercalledtheMach
numberinhonorofErnstMach,alate19thcenturyphysicistwhostudiedgasdynamics.
Foraircraftspeedswhichareverymuchlessthanthespeedofsound,theaircraftissaidtobesubsonic.Typicalspeeds
forsubsonicaircraftarelessthan250mph,andtheMachnumberMismuchlessthanone,M<<1.Forsubsonicaircraft,
wecanneglectcompressibilityeffectsandtheairdensityremainsnearlyconstant.
ThefirstpoweredaircrafttoexplorethisregimewastheWrightBrothers'1903flyer.Moderngeneralaviationandcommuter
airlinerscontinuetoflyinthisspeedregime.Atsuchlowspeeds,propellersprovideaveryfuelefficientpropulsionsystem.
OntheslideweshowaC130cargoaircraftwhichispoweredbyfourturbopropengines.Thewingsofsubsonicaircraftare
typicallyrectangularinplanformandmadeoflightweightaluminum,althoughtheWrightsusedwoodandclothintheirwing
construction.
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