Mach Number Explained: What It Is and Why Pilots Use It
Pilot Institute
JULY 11, 2025
Why don’t they use Indicated Airspeed just like the pilots who fly slower aircraft? Flight at those speeds introduces all kinds of challenges, including the need to know your speed in relation to the speed of sound. Key Takeaways Mach number is a dimensionless ratio of true airspeed to local speed of sound. Here’s why.
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