Stupid question regarding flight speed. | FerrariChat

Stupid question regarding flight speed.

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Continental AutoSports, Dec 12, 2019.

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  1. Continental AutoSports

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    #1 Continental AutoSports, Dec 12, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2019
    I'll preface by saying I know absolutely nothing - at least the same amount as the general public - regarding commercial flight, specifically the physical planes. That said, I live two miles from O'Hare/ORD (TWO miles!) but my house is directly under a flight path so I see/hear literally hundreds of planes a day right above my back deck.

    All that out of the way here's the question: is there a "speed limit" commercial airliners have to obey once above a certain altitude or is it the wild west up there? Question 1a: if there is a limit, why?

    Thank you all in advance!
     
  2. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    I think the only "limits" are imposed by air traffic controllers in controlled airspace near airports to ensure proper spacing of aircraft. At altitude the airlines might impose limits to keep fuel consumption reasonable; if you check schedules you'll note that jets are actually flying slower now than they were 50 years ago, when fuel was cheaper.
     
  3. EastMemphis

    EastMemphis Formula 3
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  4. Continental AutoSports

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  5. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    You might also want to listen to the tower at ORD to give you a sense of what is going on up there regarding your curiosity. A number of web sites can provide this.
     
  6. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

    Slightly off.... O'hare's code is ORD for 'Orchard', the very small airport that was located there before constructing O'Hare... Named after Butch O'Hare.
     
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  7. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    As a general rule, below 10,000 feet you are restricted to 250 knots (about 290 mph). In some cases, depending on altitude, the restriction may be 200 knots (230 mph).

    Above 10,000 you can go as fast as you want, as long as you are not supersonic (over the continental US).

    Air traffic control will sometimes assign a specific speed to fly at, in order to make the flow work. The busier the area (and O'Hare is very busy), the more likely this is.
     
  8. wizzard

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    250 Knots below 10,000 feet and 170 Knots in an airport control zone which is aprox 3-5 miles around the airport. Airplanes approaching the airport will be slowing to at least 170 Knots (or lower) and aircraft departing the airport will be accelerating (while gaining altitude) to 170 Knots-then 250 Knots.
     
  9. jcurry

    jcurry Two Time F1 World Champ
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    and then there is the tower call "Cessna 150 N2SLO keep best speed until flare as I've got a G650 half mile behind and closing fast"
     
  10. kylec

    kylec F1 Rookie
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    Why? To give people flying more time to spot traffic. 2 planes flying at each other at 100 kts are closing at 230mph and covering a football field every second.
     
  11. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    And then on the other end, approach to 727 on final, " 727 reduce speed to 130 knots." Later, " 727 reduce speed to 110 knots'. Again, "727 reduce speed slightly more." Then the 727 comes on, " I can can get it down to 70 knots. Tell me what what the hell you want." Heard in 1971 at SEA. The words might not be the same but the essence is.
     
  12. SAT4RE

    SAT4RE Formula Junior

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    Image Unavailable, Please Login Here's the FYTTE 5 RNAV Arrival into ORD. Notice the speeds in pink. The altitudes and speeds are used to coordinate the arrivals of, in this case, aircraft arriving from the west. While enroute, airliners will generally fly close to the airspeeds filed in their flight plans, but are sometimes assigned speeds to aid in spacing.
     
  13. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Small correction-- 200 knots in class D airspace. Not 170... unless there is something I don't know.
     
  14. 500drvr

    500drvr Formula Junior
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    That is correct.
     
  15. sigar

    sigar F1 Rookie
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    And 200 knots below a Class B.
     
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  16. Hannibal308

    Hannibal308 F1 Veteran
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    And there are aircraft specific waivers...those that don’t fly safely that as slow as the set limits. T-38 had a waiver...we flew everywhere at 300 KIAS. Heck, sometimes our computed touchdown speeds were 200-210 KIAS!
     
  17. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Speeds in terminal control zones became a big deal after the December 1960 midair over NYC. A United DC-8 flying way too fast (due in part to a crew inexperienced on the type) went well beyond the point where it was supposed to turn into a holding pattern and cut the tail off a TWA Super Constellation that was in a holding pattern of its own over Staten Island.
     
  18. ersatzS2

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    Man, how often were the tires replaced? Instantly Zero to >200mph via friction...
     
  19. Hannibal308

    Hannibal308 F1 Veteran
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    Yep. I don’t know how often they were replaced. I just checked them before and after flight and left the rest to the expert...the crew chief. That said, I could take a Talon cross country for many days and not need replacing of any tires, so long as they were in good shape starting out. Also we didn’t always have landing speeds that high, just sometimes.
     
  20. Continental AutoSports

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    Just want to say thank you to all who have responded/answered. I know more about flight speed now then I ever have in 38 years!
     

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