Like many questions of this ilk, there is a massive range in the speed of an airplane. A single engine airplane flies at a much lower speed than a military jet or trans-atlantic commercial aircraft. Overall, it would be reasonable to suggest that 500 miles per hour is an average speed for an airplane.
A commercial airplane is likely to be fully loaded in terms of passengers, fuel and luggage which impacts on the speed that it achieves. The average speed of this type of airplane will be determined by the load that it is carrying and how to get maximum value out of the fuel.
A military aircraft will be expected to fly at maximum speed with only a one or two man crew which allows it to reach far higher speeds than a commercial or civilian flight.
There are a number of factors that govern the speed on an airplane, a military jet can easily fly at top speeds of up to 800 miles per hour, while a commercial airplane will run to a timetable and may average 300 miles an hour or less due to making journeys of an hour or less.
In general the longer the distance that has to be flown, the higher the speed will be. On a flight of three hours or more the pilot can reach his cruising height and fly relatively untroubled for the bulk of the flight. On a short hall flight there could well be no cruising height with the airplane almost ready to start its landing descent not long after taking off. Often on landing the pilot may have to take a certain route into the runway which involves turning and so requires a drop in speed.
- Load
A commercial airplane is likely to be fully loaded in terms of passengers, fuel and luggage which impacts on the speed that it achieves. The average speed of this type of airplane will be determined by the load that it is carrying and how to get maximum value out of the fuel.
A military aircraft will be expected to fly at maximum speed with only a one or two man crew which allows it to reach far higher speeds than a commercial or civilian flight.
There are a number of factors that govern the speed on an airplane, a military jet can easily fly at top speeds of up to 800 miles per hour, while a commercial airplane will run to a timetable and may average 300 miles an hour or less due to making journeys of an hour or less.
- Distance
In general the longer the distance that has to be flown, the higher the speed will be. On a flight of three hours or more the pilot can reach his cruising height and fly relatively untroubled for the bulk of the flight. On a short hall flight there could well be no cruising height with the airplane almost ready to start its landing descent not long after taking off. Often on landing the pilot may have to take a certain route into the runway which involves turning and so requires a drop in speed.
