How fast do planes travel

In between these extremes, however, are military planes that fly at , , and several thousand miles per hour. Of course, there are also single-engine planes, which on average can travel at around miles per hour. Although they are small, their speeds are not high because they are single-engine planes that are also affected by things such as wind resistance and other factors.

Some single-engine planes can even fly as fast as miles per hour. Some of these planes are much bigger than others, which explains the differences in their overall speed. In addition, when it comes to airplane speed, many turboprop planes can fly as fast as some jet airliners, although the average speed for this type of plane is roughly miles per hour.

You can estimate this number if you know the number of miles between the two cities, but knowing that different planes have different speeds is also a good thing to keep in mind. Related Article:. Specified cruising speeds for commercial airliners today range between about and knots, compared to knots for the Boeing , a mainstay of s jet travel. Observant fliers can easily spot these engines, with air intakes nearly 10 feet across, especially on newer long-range two-engine jetliners.

There was, of course, one big exception: the Concorde flew primarily trans-Atlantic passenger routes at just over twice the speed of sound from until Product of a treaty between the British and French governments, the Concorde served a small high-end market and was severely constrained in where it could fly. An aircraft surpassing the speed of sound generates a shock wave that produces a loud booming sound as it passes overhead; fine, perhaps, over the Atlantic Ocean, but many countries banned supersonic flights over their land.

Some hope for future supersonic travel remains, at least for those able to afford private aircraft. Several companies are currently developing supersonic business jets. For now, it seems, travelers will have to appreciate the virtues of high-bypass engines, and perhaps bring along a good book.

Log in to post comments. Marcelo Pacheco. Actually, a very large part of higher turbofan efficiency is due to higher combustion temperatures, a result of better materials that can withstand higher temperatures and far more precise control over airflow inside the combustion chamber that reduces heating of the combustion chamber wall.

Since those improvements are invisible, they're often ignored. The first twin engine wide body cruises at Mach 0. The other often ignored aspect of airliner cruising speed is the variability of Mach speed vs temperature and altitude. All of those aircraft could cruise some 10 knots faster, by burning more fuel, but airlines nowadays like to cruise strictly at the lowest cost index a little slower. A and A normal cruise is Mach 0.

There were not only Concorde supersonic civil aircraft, but also Tupolev Tu Phil Cassady. The "sound barrier" is the problem. Aerodynamic drag rises very rapidly as the speed of sound is approached. Compared to its predecessor iterations of the One-Eleven, the Series was longer by 8ft 4in ahead of the wing and 5ft 2in behind the wing and Rolls Royce Spey turbofan engines. The aircraft also featured a modified cockpit that incorporated avionics systems and instrumentation which included a more sophisticated autoflight system.

Special VIP conversions of the aircraft layout were developed to be used as head-of-state transport by 14 countries. The ILM has a cruise speed of Mach 0. It also features simple, light single-slotted flaps and incremental aerodynamic improvements over its predecessor models.

Most notable of these improvements is the addition of spoilerons wing-mounted air brakes and the ability to use idle reverse thrust in flight to shorten the landing run required for the aircraft. First introduced in June , the fifth fastest passenger plane on our list is the long-range, wide-body, twin-engine Boeing It has a maximum capacity of passengers and completes long-haul flights with ease. The Boeing has a cruise speed of Mach 0. The is the most-produced Boeing wide-body jet, surpassing the Boeing As of January, this year, about 60 customers had placed orders for 2, aircraft of all variants, with 1, aircraft already delivered since commercial service of the jet began with United Airlines in The also has the honor of being the first commercial aircraft to be designed entirely by computer.

The system was groundbreaking in that it allowed engineers to assemble a virtual aircraft, in simulation. Being able to check for interference and ensure that the thousands of parts fit properly, substantially reduced costly rework on the plane. In joint third place are airliner rivals Boeing and Airbus. Introduced in October , the Boeing Dreamliner is a mid-size, long-haul twin-engine airliner that can seat a maximum of passengers and has a cruising speed of Mach 0.

Window dimensions are The European manufactured Airbus A is the largest passenger plane in the world, with a maximum capacity of passengers. Production of the A peaked in at 30 aircraft a year, but Airbus now believes that their investment in the development of the jet will never be recouped. Production of the last Airbus A is intended for Our runner-up is the wide-bodied, four-engine Boeing The bolts through the sky slightly faster than its competitors, with a speed of Mach 0.

Introduced in , the maximum capacity of this passenger airliner is and its primary users are British Airways, Qantas and Lufthansa. Popular as a long-haul aircraft, the can fly non-stop for up to 7, nautical miles. Also known as the Intercontinental, this super-speedy airliner features redesigned wings, new engines, and improved fuselage and efficiency; and can carry passengers, including eight in First Class and 92 in Business Class.