Why are airplanes slower than they used to be? - Alex Gendler
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TEDEd Animation
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In 1996, a British Airways plane flew from New York to London in a record-breaking two hours and fifty-three minutes. Today, however, passengers flying the same route can expect to spend no less than six hours in the air — twice as long. So why, in a world where everything seems to be getting faster, have commercial flights lagged behind? Alex Gendler details the problems facing supersonic flight.
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Additional Resources for you to Explore
For a deeper explanation of the physics and aerodynamics involved, see this post, or this interview with an aeronautics professor. Follow the history of the Concorde and its record-setting flight, or learn about the Soviet-made Tupolev Tu-144, the only other supersonic civilian airliner to date. Or explore new technologies striving for quieter and more energy-efficient supersonic flights.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator
- Alex Gendler
- Director
- Michael Kalopaidis, Alexia Roider
- Narrator
- Addison Anderson
- Storyboard Artist
- Jeanne Bornet
- Animator
- Maria Savva
