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Aviation/Flying/Rountine speed on domestic flight

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Expert: - 1/27/2005


Question
I understand comercial 737"s can acheive six hundred plus MPH...But isn"t their usual speed on city to city flight"s (Prividence to Orlando) around three hundted fifty MPH?...Thank You for your time..

Answer
Paul, the B737 normally flies at Mach .74, which is 74 percent of the speed of sound. The airspeed in MPH that results from this varies with altitude and temperature. At an altitude of 31000 feet on a normal day this would be about 483 MPH. Of course the planes speed over the ground will be affected by headwinds or tailwinds which can vary from very little to as much as 175 MPH.

Hope this clears it up.  Ned

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Ned Dolan

Expertise

38 years as a professional pilot. Worked as an instructor for a major airline, as a tow pilot towing gliders and flew international routes until 1998. Do not know much about the maintenance end of the business.

Experience

Teaching new Captains the skills and knowledge needed to occupy the position. Helping develop procedures for use in a new airplane type. (B757)

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