subsonic
/sʌbˈsɒnɪk
/adjective
Relating to or flying at a speed or speeds less than that of sound: subsonic aircraft...
- The aircraft's fixed-wing profile with large wing leading edge root extensions gives good manoeuvrability and control at subsonic speed including manoeuvres at high angles of attack.
- The variable sweep wings are set at 20° for take-off, loitering and landing, and automatically change to a maximum sweep of 68°, which reduces drag for high subsonic to supersonic speeds.
- To improve the aircraft's longitudinal stability, and to avert stall at steep angles and subsonic speed, there are two shallow upper-surface fences on each wing.
Derivatives
subsonically
- There was a storm in the circle; the lightning strokes of claws slashed out and the thunder of snarls reverberated almost subsonically amongst the quiescent ruins.
- It loiters subsonically at very high altitudes over the region of interest for extended periods of time without refueling.
- Similarly, the jet moving overhead subsonically pushes air out of the way and, in so doing, generates pressure waves that move at the speed of sound.