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Why do planes look like they are flying slow?
Our brains judge the speed of objects passing by us through the time taken for them to cross our field of view. Those taking a long time could either be nearby and travelling slowly or faster and further away. And in the case of planes, our brains know that the second interpretation is the right one.
Do airplanes fly slow?
Answer: Airplanes are flying more efficiently which, in some cases, is slower. However, one of the most fuel efficient speeds, known as long-range cruise, is not being used very often. The operators are balancing speed vs. economy, using the flight management computers to pick the best speed.
Why do planes feel so slow?
Answer: The sensation of slowing down is really one of slowing the rate of acceleration; this is due to reducing the thrust after takeoff to the climb setting. The rate of climb is reduced, causing it to feel like a descent. Q: Flying and cruising altitude and landing, not a problem.
Why can’t planes fly faster than the speed of sound?
It’s actually dangerous for planes to fly right around the speed of sound, for example, which is why airlines wouldn’t fly much faster than 600 mph even if it were fuel-efficient to do so. And there’s just not enough consumer demand for faster flight to meet the huge costs that’d be required to go much faster.
How can you tell how fast a plane is moving?
When you see a plane high in the sky. It seems to move slow because it is so far away. That same plane flying at the exact same speed at treetop height would blow right past you at a high rate of speed. When you are in a plane looking out, you have no reference to judge it’s speed except for the ground far below.
Why do airplanes appear to fly slower than other stationary objects?
The airplanes appear to fly slower because we perceive angular velocity when we look at them or for that matter from them. Because they fly quite high you observe them from quite a distance. Further there are no other stationary objects close by with whom you could compare their speed.
Is flying getting faster or slower?
While we all love to complain about air travel, there’s one annoyance few travelers even notice: Flying isn’t getting faster. In fact, cross-country flights were a little quicker 50 years ago because airlines included less scheduled time for inevitable delays.