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way2funni t1_itr9i0c wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in TIL that flight recorders must be able to withstand an acceleration of 3400 g for 6.5 milliseconds and that this is roughly equivalent to an impact velocity of 270 knots (310 mph; 500 km/h). by IchBinKoloss

>cruising at a cool 700mph

likely due to the jetstream effect throwing off the numbers.

you were probably in the polar jet which can reach speeds of up to 275 mph and runs west to east so if you were going TO EU, the effect of this tailwind could have easily boosted your speed 'across the ground' (which is what the SATNAV systems report) to 700 mph without any sound barrier shenanigans but 'airspeed' relative to the surrounding air was probably 500-550 which is standard cruise these days to conserve fuel.

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