All About Aviation: How Fast Does a
Single-Engine Plane Fly?
Are you an aspiring aviation enthusiast?
If yes, one of the things that fascinate you is aircraft speeds. How fast do airplanes fly? Does the size and number of engines an airplane has affect how fast it can fly?
If that's all you're here for, you're in for a treat. You will not only earn about single-engine planes but also discover the speeds of the military, commercial, and other flights.
So how fast does a single-engine plane fly and how does it fair against other types of planes?
Buckle up, ready for take-off!
How Fast Can an Airplane Go?
In general, an airplane flys at about 550 miles per hour. This is common among commercial planes. But this only an average. Wind and other aviation elements affect this number in its totality.
Military, private, or single-engine planes will have their own averages that are either lower or higher than 550mph.
Single-Engine Plane Flight Speeds
A single-engine plane is a small plane. The speed is not that high, as they are more affected by wind resistance, turbulence, and other aviation factors.
Nonetheless, they're definitely faster than cars. On average, a single-engine plane will fly 140 miles per hour.
On a calm day with no wind, the ground speed of a single-engine plane will be equal to its airspeed. However, some single-engine planes can go as fast as 250 miles per hour, making them bigger in size as well.
But that's not it. A turboprop single-engine can fly as fast as a regular jet airliner. That's about 450 miles per hour, so you can see how quickly these numbers stack up.
Wait, did you think that was it? No, single-engine planes have more going for them. In the Guinness Book of World Records, the XF-84H Thunderscreech has a speed of over 620 miles per hour. That's more than the Tupolev Tu-114 at 540 miles per hour.
Commercial Airplane Flight Speeds
As mentioned in the beginning, a commercial airplane is bound to fly at about 550 miles per hour. However, this is just airspeed.
For instance, take off ranges at about 170 miles per hour, and landing speed is at about 150 miles per hour.
As a rule of thumb, airspeed is calculated by the velocity of the plane as it streams through the air. Wind resistance plays a big part, but it's not usually calculated in the equation.
And the landing/takeoff speeds will vary based on the plane weight or runway length. If you visit the FAA, you can open the Type Certificate Data Sheets, which will provide you with a general idea of min/max speeds for each aircraft type.
These sheets are published for each make and model and are a great source of information.
Private Jet Flight Speed
If speed is what you want, private jets are your forte. For instance, an Aerion AS2 can fly from London to New York in about three hours.
This plane flies at 1200 miles per hour, which is hardly imaginable by any person.
What about the Cessna Citation X, Gulfstream G-650, Bombardier Global 5000, Dassault Falcon 7x, which are on the lesser side but still impressive at 700 miles per hour.
All of these planes do a remarkable job of getting you from point-A to point-B in a matter of hours. These are not just luxurious toys, they are fully-capable tools for time management and atmospheric serenity.
In reality, the maximum flight speed is also affected by the capabilities of the pilot. If a pilot cannot go that fast, the plane won't go that fast. You know what they say - the flight is only as good as the pilot.
Military Aircraft Flight Speed
When you thought that 1200 miles per hour were impressive. Wain until you get to learn about military planes.
For example, the Lockheed SR-71 was flown at 2200 miles per hour in the year of 1976. That's over 40 years ago. Imagine what a plane is capable of doing now. The maximum speeds are classified, and that number is only what was declassified.
For example, an RQ-14 Dragone Eye UAV is considered a plane but only flies at 22 miles per hour.
Whereas, a spaceplane like the Boeing X-37B can fly at 10800 miles per hour. Of course, this is not a flight you can get on, but that's how it goes.
In any case, a military plane averages out at the same value as a private jet but can go up to the thousand miles per hour, depending on the aircraft.
Also, if you're interested in knowing more about military aircraft, you have to consider that a combat plane will go faster than a cargo plane. The former is made for swift movement and the latter for secure low-speed payload delivery.
Therefore, the wide average range is pertinent to the multi-purpose specifications of military aircraft.
Flight Speeds Unhinged!
You have uncovered some basic information on single-engine plane flight speeds, commercial airplane flight speeds, private jet flight speeds, and military plane flight speeds. You are now pretty much an expert on aircraft flight speed.
As time flies by, new and better planes will keep coming out. One day, perhaps all of us will be able to fly on supersonic planes for simple commercial purposes. But for now, we are bound to the limitations of commercial airliners.
If you're interested in learning more about aviation and other interesting topics, make our blog your destination!