- NEW!
by Shabba on June 29th, 2006
It depends on what speed they are using - miles per hour or nautical miles per hour (knots). At cruising altitude (35,000 feet and above), 450knots would be reasonable. Most commercial aircraft travel at about 0.85 - 0.9 Mach at cruising speed. Mach 1 at these altitudes is about 570knots, so 450knots is about 0.79 Mach. It's a little slow, but probably better on economy than pushing the plane harder for higher airspeed.
450knots ground airspeed is about 520mph.
by Tveg on September 14th, 2009
A speed of 450 knots is 518 statute mph. At the altitudes they usually fly (32,000 - 38,000) that's about Mach .77 to .78 which is exactly where they should be. Many people don't realize that most of the newer airliners are actually slower than they used to be. The Boeing 727 I used to fly would leave them in the dust without even pushing it!
Keep in mind GPS gives speed over the ground, not through the air. If you fly into a 100 mph wind, your ground speed would be 100 mph slower.
by Stronghart on May 2nd, 2007
Whether 450 knots or 450 mph, JetBlue is a great concept and a great airline.
by Kumbaya on January 22nd, 2007
Actually they don't save money on fuel...Planes have an optimum speed, which is the normal navigation speed, and 450 knots would be that, about 0.8 Mach, which is a bit slow perhaps...
Do you know how to drive an airplane?
by XT on January 3rd, 2012
| 8 people like this
Is there anyone else 36 or over who has never flown in a commercial jet?
by Cloud35 on January 7th, 2012
| 1 person likes this
What do like about airplanes?
by XT on January 1st, 2012
| 2 people like this
Would you scare of heights when the flight is taking off? (Watch the video below:)
by XT on December 17th, 2011
| 2 people like this
Have you ever dance inside the airplane?
by XT on December 15th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
You're reading When I fly Jetblue accross the country the speed posted on the seatback of the seat in front of me states that our speed is about 450. This seems slow for a jet; are they just trying to save money on fuel?
Your favorite Q&A site is on Facebook! Become a fan to connect with the ever-growing community of Answerbaggers, share your thoughts and find out what Answerbag's up to next!
Comments
Actually, not many can travel at .85 - .90 Mach! That is really moving, and most continental U.S. flights are at about .78 Mach. I used to fly the Boeing 727, and we often had to keep the speed down to .78 - .80 so we would blend in instead of over-taking.
by Tveg on September 14th, 2009