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TED-Ed

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.

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
Art Director
Jeanne Bornet
Sound Designer
Andreas Trachonitis
Producer
Zedem Media, Bethany Cutmore-Scott
Director of Production
Gerta Xhelo
Editorial Director
Alex Rosenthal
Editorial Producer
Elizabeth Cox
Fact-Checker
Eden Girma

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