SQ 38 SIN-LAX Cruising faster than the speed of sound 12/20!!?

[randall johnson]

Tracking this 345 yesterday off the coast of Japan I was a bit surprised by the cruise speed. Seem a bit high to anyone? If this is normal that is pretty darn impressive! I admit I have never observed an airliner cruising above approx 650 miles per hour. I know the configuration of this flight makes them lighter but faster than the speed of sound!?!? What do you guys think? Here were the exact details:

SQ 38 Position Position Log
Latitude: 34-27-15.0N
Longitude: 141-15-48.0E
Speed: 778 mph (1,252 kph)
Altitude: 37,025 feet (11,285 meters)
Bearing: 56
To LAX: 5,445 miles (8,763 km)
From SIN: 3,313 miles (5,331 km)

[MCM]

Is that data recorded in Groundspeed or Airspeed? If it is groundspeed then it is nothing unusual - if it is Airspeed there is something wrong with the Data you have collected .

[HalcyonDays]

I would assume it's ground speed, ie. including the effect of tailwind. I myself have not seen speeds as high as 778 mph, but I think I have been as high as 720 or 730, ie. a tailwind of close to 170-200. Certainly 700 or so is not uncommon for a regular flyer.

[randall johnson]

Not sure if it is air or ground. What is usually measured by online tracking services like flightstats or flightaware? I simply took the numbers from there. I tracked her again today and she was operating at 661 kts @ FL380 so maybe it is normal. I just never knew these birds moved that fast.

[Jerrycobra Boeing]

looks like it got an awesome tailwind, sucks to be flying in the other direction though

[AJ]

Strong jetstreams often occur over Japan this time of year. Here's a 190kt one we encountered one night:
[photoid=212294]

[Leftseat86]

I never noticed that metric altitude gauge in the 767

[MCM]

It would depends on which 767's you've spent time looking at - my bet is it isn't fitted to all. Only needed if you intend to fly into Metric airspace, so many domestic US 767's wouldn't need it.

[AJ]

I never noticed that metric altitude gauge in the 767

We had them fitted to some of our 767s to operate into China. The aircraft without it had a laminated table on the flightdeck for reference.

[Leftseat86]

Thanks for the info gents.

[Peter Kesternich]

Well - jetstreams are normally stronger in the winter and what you saw there is definitely groundspeed. I assume that the software you used to track the flight either records the GPS data or scans the radar waves. In any case it would record the speed as compared to the ground not as compared to the air surrounding the aircraft. Cruising speeds for intercontinental flights in large passenger jets range between an airspeed of Mach 0.8 and Mach 0.86. Nobody is going faster.

[randall johnson]

Some of this stuff is fascinating. Lots of great info here. Thanks!

[TeeVee]

JFK-LHR on board an AA 777

we departed JFK about 40 minutes late and arrived at LHR 45 minutes early. Tail winds rock