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.
WatchThink 5 Multiple Choice &
3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 1 Guided Discussion &
2 Open Discussions
3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 1 Guided Discussion &
2 Open Discussions
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
