Strong high-altitude winds over the Mid-Atlantic sped up sky traffic on Saturday night, getting passengers on at least two commercial planes to their destinations early, after both aircraft hit supersonic speeds topping 800 mph.

Winds at cruising altitude peaked at about 265 mph, according to the Washington, D.C., area National Weather Service office — the second-highest wind speed logged in the region since recordings began in 1948. The highest-ever wind speed recorded in the area at a similar altitude was 267 mph on Dec. 6, 2002.

“For those flying eastbound in this jet, there will be quite a tail wind,” the NWS warned in a tweet.

Sure enough, that tailwind helped cut down the flight time for passengers on a Virgin Atlantic flight from D.C. to London by 45 minutes, according to the tracker FlightAware.

  • @lennybird
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    84 months ago

    Ah so that’s how aliens fly supersonic without breaking the sound barrier. Just move the air around the craft in the direction they’re going! Problem solved.

    • @[email protected]
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      24 months ago

      The aliens just move spacetime (with the air included) next to their ships around with their warp drives around. Don’t you watch any Star Trek?

      • @lennybird
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        4 months ago

        Fuck I’m such an idiot!