First off, both energy and velocity is conserved even though Energy is a function of velocity squared.
So when you mix air of two different velocity's you get direct heating along with the change in velocity. You also get quite a bit of thermal radiation which heat up the air before it feels the physical effects from the craft. So, while the pressure does increase the actual pressure never get's all that high despite the huge increase in temperature. For a sanity check if you assume the energy of the air starts at the equivalent of ~30c at 1ATM and 1ATM = ~15lb/square inch then pressure required to get anywhere close to the observed temperatures get's ridiculous as in 100's of g's of deceleration.
Also, the blunt surface in front of a hyper-sonic aircraft collects a pressure wave off the surface. With the air next to the skin moving at the same relative speed as the craft. So the friction heating precedes the craft, and is negligible right next to it. The aircraft is also cooling the air next to it which is what creates the cooler buffer zone. (This is why they use blunt surfaces in the first place.)
First off, both energy and velocity is conserved even though Energy is a function of velocity squared.
So when you mix air of two different velocity's you get direct heating along with the change in velocity. You also get quite a bit of thermal radiation which heat up the air before it feels the physical effects from the craft. So, while the pressure does increase the actual pressure never get's all that high despite the huge increase in temperature. For a sanity check if you assume the energy of the air starts at the equivalent of ~30c at 1ATM and 1ATM = ~15lb/square inch then pressure required to get anywhere close to the observed temperatures get's ridiculous as in 100's of g's of deceleration.
Also, the blunt surface in front of a hyper-sonic aircraft collects a pressure wave off the surface. With the air next to the skin moving at the same relative speed as the craft. So the friction heating precedes the craft, and is negligible right next to it. The aircraft is also cooling the air next to it which is what creates the cooler buffer zone. (This is why they use blunt surfaces in the first place.)