Passenger captures shockwave on the wing of plane he's flying on in rare footage
Published on Sep 19, 2025 at 3:48 AM (UTC-4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Sep 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A passenger on a Boeing 787-9 filmed strange ripples moving across the wing and couldn’t figure out what it was.
He thought they might be shadows or reflections and even moved his phone to double-check. The plane was flying straight and level, yet the effect stayed.
Now Reddit has come through with the answer: the ripple was a shockwave.
At Mach 0.85, airflow over the wing can accelerate past Mach 1, creating the shimmering waves he caught on camera.
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With roles at TEXT Journal, Bowen Street Press, Onya Magazine, and Swine Magazine on her CV, Molly joined Supercar Blondie in June 2025 as a Junior Content Writer. Having experience across copyediting, proofreading, reference checking, and production, she brings accuracy, clarity, and audience focus to her stories spanning automotive, tech, and lifestyle news.
