AFJROTC Commercial and General Aviation Take Off Practice Exam

How long would a hypersonic flight from London to New York last?

1. Less than two hours

2. Less than one hour

3. Less than three hours

4. Less than four hours

The correct answer is: Less than one hour

Hypersonic flight refers to speeds that exceed Mach 5, which is five times the speed of sound. To provide some context, traditional subsonic commercial flights operate at around 0.8 Mach, often taking around 7 to 8 hours to cross the Atlantic from London to New York, depending on various factors such as weather and air traffic. Under hypersonic conditions, if we consider typical cruising speeds that can reach around 3,800 miles per hour or more, the distance of approximately 3,500 miles between London and New York could theoretically be covered in less than one hour. This dramatic reduction in travel time presents a significant advantage of hypersonic technology, making the duration of the flight remarkably brief in comparison to conventional aircraft. The other time frames suggested in the options do not accurately reflect the immense speed of hypersonic flight, which allows for such dramatically reduced travel times. Thus, the completion of a flight from London to New York in under one hour is plausible under hypersonic conditions.