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Q:

During supersonic flight, why is elevator effectiveness reduced?

A:

Air acts very differently at supersonic speeds, soa lot of adjustments need to be made to the plane just so that it can achieve lift. One of the biggest problems is that the center of pressure has moved forward to the tip of the plane, and the airflow over the elevators shifts too. Shock waves will appear at the tail of the plane, which affects the hinges of the elevators, making them difficult to maneuver. Delta winged aircraft combine ailerons and elevators  into an elevon, so they don't have to worry about this issue.

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