Post by gato on Jan 27, 2024 6:42:04 GMT -5
"China Airlines Flight 5116 rocketed to a speed of 826 mph as it bolted eastward across the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, potentially breaking informal records for passenger travel. .
A roaring Pacific jet stream, supercharged by the El Niño climate pattern and moving at more than 250 mph, gave the flight a boost.
Other flights were also hurled by this week’s extra-swift high-altitude winds. For example, China Airlines Flight 6, flying the same route as Flight 5116 on Friday, hit 822 mph.
But the aircraft did not break the sound barrier (768 mph). Even though its ground speed was greater than the speed of sound, it was still moving through the surrounding air at its ordinary cruise speed. It just so happened that the surrounding air was also moving."
Kinda like walking on one of those moving walkways: you're walking at 3 mph, but moving at 7 mph.
From WP
A roaring Pacific jet stream, supercharged by the El Niño climate pattern and moving at more than 250 mph, gave the flight a boost.
Other flights were also hurled by this week’s extra-swift high-altitude winds. For example, China Airlines Flight 6, flying the same route as Flight 5116 on Friday, hit 822 mph.
But the aircraft did not break the sound barrier (768 mph). Even though its ground speed was greater than the speed of sound, it was still moving through the surrounding air at its ordinary cruise speed. It just so happened that the surrounding air was also moving."
Kinda like walking on one of those moving walkways: you're walking at 3 mph, but moving at 7 mph.
From WP
