what is the speed of an airplane?

When it comes to air travel, the speed of an airplane is one of the most important considerations. An airplane's performance is greatly affected by its speed, as it impacts how long flights take, how much fuel is used, and safety. To understand just what kind of speeds airplanes travel at, let's break it down by type of aircraft.

Commercial Airliners

Most commercial airliners fly a average cruise speed between 500 and 550 mph. However at cruising altitude, turboprops can be slower at around 430 mph or less. During takeoff and landing, commercial aircraft fly slower due to safety reasons so that pilots can achieve an appropriate level of control over the plane. As a result, speeds during takeoffs and landings tend to range from 145 mph to 180 mph or so depending on the size and weight of the plane.

General Aviation Aircraft

The range of speeds for general aviation aircraft varies greatly depending on type and class. Single-engine piston-powered airplanes run in the neighborhood of 120 to 200 mph with some light jets getting upwards of 400 mph depending on altitude. Multiengine turboprops usually operate between 250 and 420 mph once they reach their cruise altitudes, while larger business jets may exceed 450 hundred miles per hour during cruise flight conditions.

Military Aircraft

The highest speeds achieved by aircraft are generally reserved for military applications designed for high-speed intercepts or reconnaissance. Mach 1 (the speed of sound) is typically around 767 miles per hour while modern fighter jets like the Lockheed F-22 Raptor can fly up to Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound). While this equates to approximately 1,500 miles per hour at sea level, these jets are often limited by their powerplants during long-range missions and are seldom flown near top speeds for extended periods due to resulting levels of fuel consumption necessary to maintain those levels of power output from their engines over time .