Published December 22, 2023 at 9:46 p.m.
Updated December 22, 2023 at 10:00 p.m.
Incredibly strong winds speed up air travel. Explanations.
Powerful jet stream
The famous “Jet Stream” or jet stream is aptly named as airlines “use” it to save fuel and time. In fact, significant savings are possible during a long trip if the device follows a favorable trajectory. Strong winds at an altitude of ten kilometers can increase the cruising speed of an aircraft to over 1000 km/h. That's what happened this week when winds reached speeds of 400 km/h!
Shorter trips
A flight from Montreal to Paris usually takes just under seven hours. With a strong jet stream, a favorable trajectory shortens travel time by about an hour. The savings are even more significant on longer flights. A trip from Hong Kong to Vancouver was shortened by one hour and twenty minutes.
Supersonic aircraft
With the help of the jet stream, an aircraft can reach supersonic speeds. Airbus A340 aircraft, for example, fly at a cruising speed of around 900 km/h. However, a strong wind can significantly improve the ability to exceed the sound barrier. The plane reached a speed of 1272 km/h on the way from Hong Kong to Vancouver.
Reverse path
That's why the return path is longer: the jet stream doesn't blow in that direction. Obviously, pilots never follow a trajectory that would take them against the grain. For the reverse journey, simply take a different route.
In collaboration with Maxine Cloutier-Gervais, meteorologist.