International Flights Reach Speeds Over 800 mph Due to Record Winds
Some international flights recently reached speeds exceeding 800 mph, thanks to strong winds pushing them from high-speed jet streams.
How Strong Winds Propelled Flights at Record Speeds
Commercial flights usually travel at speeds between 480 to 575 mph. However, recent flights reached higher speeds of over 800 mph due to the assistance of powerful jet streams.
Jet streams are narrow bands of strong wind located in the upper levels of the atmosphere, blowing from west to east. These winds provided a significant push to the planes, enabling them to travel at such incredible speeds.
The planes encountered peak winds of around 265 mph, marking the second strongest upper-level wind ever recorded in the region. This remarkable tailwind made the flights much faster and more efficient.
Flights That Reached Speeds Over 800 mph
Several flights experienced speeds over 800 mph, resulting in early arrivals at their destinations. Virgin Atlantic Flight 22 departed from Washington Dulles International Airport and landed in London 45 minutes ahead of schedule, reaching a top speed of 802 mph.
United Airlines Flight 64 from Newark to Lisbon reached 838 mph and arrived 20 minutes early. American Airlines Flight 120 from Philadelphia to Doha, Qatar, traveled at a top speed of 840 mph, landing 27 minutes earlier than expected.
British Airways Flight 292 and Flight 216 both exceeded 800 mph. Flight 292 arrived 32 minutes early after reaching a top speed of 806 mph, and Flight 216 landed at London Heathrow 20 minutes ahead of schedule with a top speed of 809 mph.
Breaking the Sound Barrier
Although these flights traveled at speeds faster than the speed of sound on the ground, they did not break the sound barrier. The speed of sound is measured by airspeed rather than ground speed.
Planes have two types of speed measurements: ground speed, which indicates how fast they are moving over the ground, and airspeed, which indicates their speed relative to the surrounding air. While these flights had ground speeds exceeding the speed of sound, their airspeed did not reach that level.
Therefore, despite their impressive ground speeds, these flights did not break the sound barrier.
