Eli5 Do sonic booms catch up to the pilot?

Question

So I recently learned that when pilots exceed the speed of sound, they cannot hear any sound that they make, even the sonic boom they generated.
My question is, when the pilot slows down, do they hear the boom when it catches up to them?

In: 4

Answer 1

The sonic boom isn’t a one time phenomenon, it is ongoing aslong as the aircraft is moving at supersonic speeds, it’s caused by a shockwave that supersonic travel causes

https://images.app.goo.gl/ZocwN1K8dHtr1EiB9

This image shows what happens, as a sound emitter travels at supersonic speeds, all of the sound waves meet up at a unified front trailing behind the aircraft, this shockwave is what you hear as the sonic boom as it passed over you.