ABSTRACT

T he Bell X-1 was the first pilotedaircraft to fly faster than the speedof sound in level flight. The flight took place on October 14, 1947.

The Challenges of Supersonic Flight When World War II ended in 1945, it had created a legacy of new aviation technology. Aircraft designers wondered how to use recently developed rocket engines and jet engines in civilian flying. These developments had opened the door to supersonic flight, or flying faster than the speed of sound.