User:Randinu Dewsitha/sandbox

Aircraft flight control surfaces are the means by which a pilot controls the direction and attitude of an aircraft in flight. Primary Flight Control Surfaces -Ailerons -Elevators -Rudder Secondary Flight Control Surfaces -Flaps -Slats -Spoilers Flight Control Surfaces Some types of aeroplane Parts of an Aeroplane Landing Gear The components of an aircraft or a spacecraft that support weight of the craft and its load and give it mobility on ground or water. Thus make it possible to take off and landing. Antonov An-225 has 32 wheels on its landing gears Parts of a landing gear Landing Gear Arrangement EMPENNAGE Empennage (Tail assembly) Is structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow. The term Empennage derives from the French language word empennage which means “to feather an arrow” Rudder Elevators Vertical Stabilizer Horizontal Stabilizer Flaps of an Aircraft  Flaps are usually mounted on the wings trailing edges of an fixed-wing aircraft  Flaps increase lift and drag when extended  Flaps are used to reduce the stalling speed of the aircraft  During take-off, flaps enable the plane to be cut off from the ground earlier.  When flaps are extended, they increase the rate of decrease the climbing rate and causes a more “shallow” climb. Elevators and Rudder of a plane Elevator  Elevator is the small moving section at the rear of the horizontal stabilizer that is attached to the fixed section by hinges.  They control the aircraft’s pitch movement and therefore the angle of attack and the lift of the wing. Rudder  Rudder is the moving section which is mounted on the trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer or fin.  The primary purpose controlling yew movement of aircraft. Roll Pitch Yaw Yaw Axis Pitch Axis Roll Axis Aileron of an Aircraft  Aileron are usually mounted on the trailing edge of each wings near the wingtips.  Ailerons are used to control the aircraft for roll movement (movement around the aircraft’s longitudinal axis) by using them in opposite directions (while aileron on one wing goes up/down the other side gone down/up or one of them is stable while the other side moving up/down).  They increase the lift force when them go down and decrease when they go up. Roll Pitch Yaw Yaw Axis Pitch Axis Roll Axis Wing Tip Devices – Winglet Wing Tip Fence, Raked Wing Tip, Blended winglet  They improve the efficiency of a fixed wing aircraft by reducing induced drag resulting from lift-induced wing tip vortices.  By smoothing the airflow across the wing and reducing the wing tip vortex effects, the wing tip devices serve to increase lift production at the wing tip, reduce total drag, improve takeoff and climb performance, and reduce fuel consumption.  A further benefit of wing tip devices is that they reduce the strength of wing tip vortices. Bank Angle and Forces A: Bank angle is the angle between the aircraft’s normally axis and the Earth’s vertical plane containing the aircraft’s longitudinal axis. Total Lift x Cos(A) = Effective Lift Total Lift x Sin(A) = Centripetal Lift Three-Dimensional Coordinate System Functions of Rudder Benefits of Elevators Aileron and Roll Maneuver Auxiliary Power Unit - (APU) The APU is a small jet Engine which is normally locate in the tail cone of the aircraft but, in some cases, is located in an engine nacelle or in the wheel well APU provides electrical power to aircraft systems as well as bleed air for air conditioning and for engine start The early model APUs cloud be found on the aircraft B-29 Superfortress. They were looking essentially like a motorcycle engine installed inside the fuselage TYPICAL FOUR-ENGINE FUEL TANK CONFIGURATION - BOEING Boeing 747-400 total fuel Aeroplane With stabilizer tank: 216,389 litres Aeroplane Without stabilizer tank: 203,897 litres Boeing 747 Cargo craft Boeing 747 Passenger Aircraft BOEING 737 Aircraft Wake turbulence categorisation ICAO and FAA mandate the Wake turbulence categories based upon the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of the aircraft through with different weights. Small MTOW<= 18,600 kg (41,000 lb.) Large 7,000 kg<MTOW<136,000 kg (300,000 lb.) Heavy 136,000 kg (300,000 lb.)<=MTOW Super Airbus A380, Antonov An-225 Mriya Light(L) MTOW <=7,000 kg (15,400 lb.) Medium(M) 7,000 kg<MTOW<136,000 kg (300,000 lb.) Heavy(H) 136,000 kg <= MTOW Super(J) Airbus A380 TYPICAL TWO-ENGINE EUEL TANK CONFIGURATION - BOEING BOEING 737-600 FUEL CAPERCITY: 25,350 Litres ICAO Category MTOW FAA Category MTOW Fuel planning of a flight Ballast FUEL Ballast fuel is carried to maintain the aircraft gravity center within limits. Under anything other than emergency circumstances, is not to be used during the flight Type of Thrust Reversing Systems Final Reserve Fuel Alternate Fuel Additional Fuel Extra Fuel Taxi Fuel Contingency Fuel Trip Fuel Block Fuel AIRCRAFT WINGS BASED ON POSITION AND STRUCTURE Mid Wing Low Wing High Wing Dihedral Wing Anhedral Wing Inverted Gull Wing Gull Wing Another Type of Airplane Wing Straight leading edge, tapered trailing edge Tapered leading and trailing edges Straight leading and trailing edges Tapered leading edge, straight trailing edge Delta wing Sweptback wing De/Anti Icing procedures Aircraft Ground De/Anti Icing procedures serve three purposes:  Removal of any frozen or semi frozen moisture from critical external surfaces of an aircraft on the ground prior to flight; and/or  Protections of those surfaces from the effects or such contaminant for the period between treatment and becoming airborne; and/or  Removal of any frozen or semi frozen moisture from engine intakes and fan blades and protection of external surfaces from subsequent contamination prior to takeoff. AIRCRAFT MARSHALLING SIGNALS Four Force on an air Aeroplane Four Force on an air Aeroplane  Before commencing walk around check high Visibility Vest must be worn.  Before walking around check parking brakes must be on.  Before start wear your ear protection Standard phraseology controller (ATC) and the pilot of an aircraft. In the majority of countries, the standard phraseology in use is based on standards developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standard phraseology is one of the most important factors in the commination process in the aviation. I It enables fast, effective and safe communication despite cultural language differences. It also minimizes risk of potential misunderstanding International standards of phraseology are laid down in -ICAO Annex 10 Volume II Chapter 5, -ICAO Doc 4444 Chapter 12, -ICAO Doc 9432 – Manual of Radiotelephony. Many national authorities also publish radiotelephony manuals with amplify ICAO provisions, and in some cases modify them to suit local conditions. Airplane Alphabet with Examples ALPHA BROVE CHARLIE DELTA ECHO FOXTROT GOLF HOTEL INDIA JULIET KILO LIMA MIKE NOVEMBER OSCAR PAPA QUEBEC ROMEO SIERRA TANGO UNIFORM VICTOR WHISKEY XRAY YANKEE ZULU Plane: Papa Lima Alpha November Echo Tower: Tango Oscar whiskey Echo Romeo Crew: Charlie Romeo Echo Whiskey BAW: Bravo Alpha Whiskey DLH: Delta Lima Hotel RAM Air Turbine The Ram Air turbine is a dual blade wind turbine. It is very small compared to an airplane mounted anywhere in a well-ventilated area. The force obtained is determined by the speed of rotation. But this produces little electricity and is only used to power the aircraft for essential operations in an emergency. This comes out only when needed and is located on the plane at other times. Some types of Airbus Models Airbus A319 Airbus A320 Airbus A320neo Airbus A330 Airbus A350-900 Airbus A350-1000 AirbusA350 Airbus A350-WXB Airbus A380 Airbus A400 Airbus A2000 Airbus A200 Airbus A220 Airbus A340 Airbus A318 Airbus A317 Airbus A316 Airbus 313 Some types of Boeing Models Boeing 777 Boeing 747 Boeing 777x Boeing 737 max 8 Boeing 737 max9 Boeing 737 max 10 Boeing 757 Boeing 767 Boeing 787 Boeing 717 Boeing 727 Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 French plane maker Airbus’ supper-size A380 airliner will seat more than 500 passengers and offer services such as gyms, casinos and lounges. It will be 35% larger than Boeing’s popular 747 Typical configuration Airbus A380 Boeing 747 Passenger capacity: 853 Length: 239 ft., 6in. Wingspan: 262 ft. Height: 79 ft. Maximum Takeoff Weight: 1,208,000 lbs. (575 tons) Maximum Landing Weight: 394 Tons Range: 9,382 statute miles Cruise speed: 560 mph (901.152 km/h) Maximum Speed: 1020 km/h Maiden flight: 27/04/2005 Introduced: 25/10/2007 Airline Orders: Orders so far for 129 planes have come from Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Emirates Airlines, International Lease Finance Corp. Passenger capacity: 416-524 Length: 231 ft., 10in. Wingspan: 211 ft., 5 in. Height: 63 ft., 8 in. Maximum Takeoff Weight: 875,000 lbs. Maximum Landing Weight: 412,770 kg Range: 8,430 statute miles Cruise speed: 565 mph (909.198 km/h) Maximum speed: 969 km/h Introduced: 03 Aug 1973 Maiden flight: February 9, 1969 Note: Upper deck extends only part way above main desk. Airbus Boeing Boeing Airbus Different airline services Different Types of airplane engines. Turbofan engine Use Only To Commercial Airplanes Such as A320, A330, A321, A350, A380, B777, B737, B 747 Turboprop engine Turboprop Engines Are Mostly Use For Privet Airplanes or Small Airplanes like ATR 72, 52, 60 and Old Airplanes. Turbojet engine This Engines Mostly Use to Military Jets (Suk hoi SU-27) Turbo shaft engine Use for Helicopters Singapore Airlines is the Second best Airline in the world Best 6 airlines in the world in 2020 Qatar Airways is national airline in Qatar. This is the best airline in the world All Nippon Airways is the 3rd Best airline in the World Wingspan: 25.56m (83 ft. 3 in.). Length: 61.66m (202 ft. 3 in.). Height: 11.3m (37 ft. 1in.). Empty weight: 79 265 kg (174 750 lb.). Gross weight: 181 435 kg (400 000 lb.). Top speed: 2 179 km/h (1350 mph) Manufacturing Companies: Aerospatiale, British Aircraft Cooperation in United Kingdom. Heat at nose of plane: 127 0 C Heat at wing edge: 105 o C The Concord Aircrafts' first flight was from Heathrow Airport on January 21, 1976 to Barron Airport and the last flight was from JFK Kennedy Airport on October 24, 2003 to Heathrow LHR Airport. Concord aircraft are Super Sonic Transportation (SST) aircraft. The manufacturers have given this aircraft the shape of a fighter jet and this unique shape contributes to the acceleration. The main purpose of the Concord aircraft is to give passengers the benefit of the doubt due to the speed at which they can fly and save more than half the total time than conventional commercial aircraft. For example, a typical passenger flight from Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport to Dubai takes approximately 4.5 hours, while Concord aircraft, an SST medium, can travel in less than two hours, saving busy people time. This can be identified as a very important medium to do. Due to the high ticket prices, the passengers on these planes have always been very wealthy and Concord aircraft have become a means of representing their class at that time. Before the production of the Concord aircraft, the Soviet Union was producing an aircraft called the Tupolev Tu - 144, which was introduced to buyers at an air show in Paris. Concord Planes AEROSPATIAL situated in France British Aircraft Cooperation situated in United Kingdom. Manufactured in the 1950s and 1970s, Concord aircraft were designed with the help of low technology, which was not as powerful as the Neural Network, Artificial Intelligent, and Super Computer that we experience today, and this was a challenge for the engineers. The engine expands by several inches due to the heat generated by the colliding air currents, such as the Mach 2, so the engineers were also challenged to manufacture the white paint used here. It is said that the passengers of the spacecraft observe the curvature of the earth while flying at an altitude of 60,000 feet. Concord aircraft did not have a horizontal stabilizer and used fuel tanks to operate the aircraft. The special Delta Wing design of the aircraft resulted in a high angle of attack and increased speed. Also, due to the long nose section and the increased angle of attack, the pilots could not see the runway. Because of this, the engineers designed the nose part of the aircraft to bend. The plane did not have an entertainment system and if this was included, the ticket price would be even higher. Why was Concord removed from service? The first crash of a Concord aircraft was in 2000, so Concord was temporarily decommissioned. In the meantime, the September 11, 2001 plane crash added a number of laws to the aviation industry. There was also a super sonic boom and people on earth began to complain Tupolev Tu – 144 Craft Angle Of Attack (AOA) 18o 10 o Angle Of Attack (AOA) that this noise was very painful. Environmentalists also blamed Concord planes for moving closer to the ozone layer, where the burning fuel hit the ozone layer and destroyed it. In addition, rising fuel prices, having to prepare another Concord aircraft at the airport as one aircraft departs, and having to pay large salaries to the crew, including the pilots. 1. General Electric GE90 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.59 The unique blade design of GE90 came from NASA’s high energy efficient experimental propfan GE36 (UDF). After the idea of GE36 was dropped due to some technical and financial problems, General Electric adopted the same fan design into their newly designed GE90 instead and made it commercially available. The engine made its successful debut in 1995 with the British Airways, powering its entire new Boeing 777 fleet. With higher thrust and increased operating cost advantage provided by GE90 is one of the major reasons why world’s major airliners are seeing 777-300ER as a future replacement for much popular 747-400. The engine blades are made of composite materials so that it can work in much higher temperature. It is used in one of the biggest aircraft, Boeing 777 and has a world record thrust rating between 330 to 513 KN (high thrust variants). It powered three 777 variants-200LR, -300ER and -200F. 2. Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 6-7 The Pratt & Whitney PW4000-112 is the newest member of PW4000 family, which have higher thrust rage than any of the previous variants. Pratt & Whitney started manufacturing the PW4000 for the Most Powerful airplane engines that use for commercial airplanes first time in 1984. It is used by many airliners including Airbus (A300, A310, A330), Boeing (747-400, 767, 777, KC-46) and McDonnell Douglas MD-11. The PW4000-112 entered into the commercial aviation industry in 1995 as one of the three options for Boeing 777 variants. 3. Rolls Royce Trent XWB Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.25 The Rolls Royce Trent XWB is a family of turbofan jet engines which is used for the Airbus A350 XWB. It was first successfully tested in 2010 and developed as a competitor to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It has five variants and the largest fan diameter is 118 inches. The advanced version has the maximum thrust of 430 KN. Rolls Royce uses these engines in the Qatar Airways and Airbus A350-1000. 4. Rolls Royce Trent 900 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.46/ 6.11 The Trent 900 is a series of turbofan engines and one of the family members of Trent engines. It was first used in 2004 and has four variants which are used in different airliners. It is equipped with 116 inch wide low pressure compressor fan and the total weight is over 6200 kg. It has one of the most powerful engines with the maximum thrust value of 374 KN. It is the first engine in his family which fitted with the advanced engine health monitoring system. 5. Engine Alliance GP7000 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.197 The Engine Alliance GP7000 is a turbofan jet engine which currently powers the world’s largest passenger airliner, the Airbus A380. It was first launched in April 2004 and the result of collaboration between General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, two of the three biggest aircraft engine manufacturers in the world .It should have been called Super Engine Alliance, imo. 6. Rolls Royce Trent 1000 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 6.1 Evolved from the previous generations of the Trent engines, the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 was conceived to fulfill the needs of Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Back in 2004, Boeing decided to provide its customers with an option of choosing between the two engines in their new Dreamliner series. As a result, General Electric GEnx and Trent 1000 were finalized. Trent 1000 powered the first Boeing 787 on its maiden test flight and also during its first commercial flight. The engine has a dry weight of more than 6,000 kilograms with a maximum thrust of 265.3–360.4 kN. 7. General Electric GEnx Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.15/ 5.56 The General Electric GEnx (next generation) is a high-performance bypass turbofan jet engine, which is largely derived from General Electric’s GE90 engine. It employs many features of GE90 including the radical composite fan technology. The engine was first commercially used in 2008 and it’s currently used as a frontline engine in Boeing 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner. It has the maximum thrust of up to 330 KN and a dry weight of 5800 kg. It also features fuel burn reduction technology, which also helps reduce engine noise. 8. Rolls Royce Trent 700 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 51.35 N/kg The Rolls Royce Trent 700 is a robust turbofan engine which is mainly used in the modern Airbus A330. During the late 1980s, when the new A330’s was launched with increased weight, Rolls Royce planned to design a new, more powerful and heavier engine to comply with it, which they later named Trent 700. It first entered into service in March 1995 with Cathay Pacific with a maximum thrust rating up to 316 KN. Back in 2009, the company launched an upgraded version of the Trent 700, the Trent 700EP (enhanced performance) with some necessary improvements. 9. General Electric CF-6 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.08 The General Electric CF-6 is one of the most powerful series of high bypass turbofan engines produced by General Electric aviation. Currently, it is being used in many commercial airliners, including Airbus (A300, A310, A330), Boeing (747, 767) and McDonnell Douglas. The engine is equipped with two high pressure and four low-pressure turbines with the maximum thrust value of 274 KN. Moreover, it’s 4.65 meters in length and weighs more than 4100 kg. 10. Progress D-18T Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.7:1 The Progress D-18T is a high bypass turbofan aircraft engine, which is specially designed to power heavy transport aircraft. It was manufactured by the Ivchenko-Progress keeping in mind the needs of a heavy aircraft. Right now, the Progress D-18T’s are only used for Antonov An 124 and An 225 strategic airlifter. The engine has a dry weight of 4,100 kg and a maximum thrust of 230 KN. Due to its limited use, only 188 units of this engine have been manufactured since 1982. 11. General Electric GE TF39 Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.4:1 The US-based multinational company General Electric manufactured the TF39 especially to fulfil the need of Lockheed produced C-5 galaxy, one of the largest and heaviest military transport aircraft in the world. Although the engine is now disbanded, it was the first ever high-bypass turbofan jet engine produced. It was also the first turbofan engine in the 1960s that introduced revolutionary 1½ stage fan blades with an 8:1 bypass ratio. 12. CFM56-7 Series Thrust-to-weight ratio: 3.7:1 The CFM56-7 is the latest edition of CFM56 series engines, manufactured by CFM International, which debuted in 1995. With a maximum takeoff thrust (newer model) of 27,300 ibf, it’s the perfect engine to power the next generation Boeing 737 with better fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance costs. Other major applications of this engine are in Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and Airbus A320 family. Can you guess the fastest airspeed an aircraft has ever achieved? It is close to 10,200 km/h or 6,300+ mph. Quite astounding. But the more important question is how did we reach this level. In the late-1930s, when the first fully jet-powered aircraft (Heinkel He 178) was introduced, it had a maximum airspeed of almost 600 km/h. The fastest ever recorded. Then, by 1941, the fastest airspeed achieved by any aircraft reached 900 km/h following the introduction of Messerschmitt Me 262, the world’s first operational jet fighter. Between the 1940s and 1960s, the aviation industry made substantial advancements concerning engine output and the aircraft’s overall structural stability. These improvements allowed airplanes to operate at much faster speed with increased durability. On October 14, 1947, the U.S Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager carried out the first-ever Fastest Aircraft In The World supersonic flight (exceeding the speed of sound or Mach 1) on Bell X-1. During the flight, the aircraft reached the maximum airspeed of 1,600 km/h. But, of course, it was no way near the fastest aircraft in the world. Below is our list of 12 crewed aircraft and one unmanned fastest aircraft that were ever produced. Mach Regimes An aircraft’s speed is often measured by the Mach number, a dimensionless quantity representing the ratio between an object’s speed and the speed of light in the surrounding medium. Based on the airspeed of an aircraft relative to the speed of sound, flights can be categorized into different Mach regimes. Mach Regime Speed (Mach Number) Subsonic Less than 988 Km/h (<0.8) Transonic988– 1,482 km/h (0.8-1.2) Supersonic1, 482–6,174 km/h (1.2-5) Hypersonic6, 174–12,350 km/h (5-10) High-hypersonic12, 350 – 30,870 km/h (10-25) 1. North American X-15 Initial Flight: 8 June 1959 Recorded Top Speed: 7,274 km/h or 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7) On 3 October 1967, William “Pete” Knight, a U.S astronaut and test pilot, shocked the world after flying at a staggering speed of 7,374 kilometres per hour, reaching close to Mach 7. His record of the highest speed achieved by a crewed aircraft remains intact. The aircraft on which he achieved such speeds was part of the legendary X�plane series of high-speed experimental aircraft, designated North American X-15. Like most other X-planes, the X-15 was launched mid�air with the help of a ‘mother ship.’ The aircraft was initially powered by a modified XLR99 engine (that powered Bell X-1 flight), providing a thrust of 27 kN. It was later replaced by a more powerful rocket engine with a thrust output of 250 kN. The X-15 has a unique tail design (thick and wedged), which allowed it to maintain stability at hypersonic speeds. 2. Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” Initial Flight: 22 December 1964 Recorded Top Speed: 3,529.5 km/h The fastest aircraft on earth to date made its initial flight more than fifty years ago. The backstory of why and how SR-71 came into existence is rather intricate. The idea was to develop a reconnaissance aircraft that can operate without being detected by most radars and is faster than any other existing airplanes at that time. Its design was carried out by Lockheed’s Skunk Works, an advanced research lab for military projects. The SR-71 was an almost invincible asset for the U.S armed forces in the air due to its speed and ability to operate at extremely high altitudes. The highest altitude achieved by an SR-71 was 25,929 m. At such height, most surface-to-air missiles, at that time, were ineffective. Apart from its most popularized nickname, “Blackbird,” the SR-71 is occasionally known by other names such as “Habu.” During its more than three decades of service, only 32 units of SR-71 were produced. 3. Lockheed YF-12 Initial Flight: 7 August 1963 Recorded Top Speed: 3,331.5 km/h or 2,070.1 mph YF-12 was a prototype interceptor aircraft developed by the Lockheed Corporation in the late 1950s and the early 60s for the U.S Air Forces. The aircraft was based on Lockheed A-12, an experimental spy plane developed as a “black” project. Unlike its precursor, the YF-12 was a two-seater aircraft and can carry a fire control radar along with multiple air-to-air missiles. The maximum airspeed achieved by the YF-12 on record is 3,331.5 km/h during a test flight on 1 May 1965, making YF-12 the fastest airplane in the world. However, it was soon surpassed by SR-71, another highly advanced military plane based on Lockheed A-12. The YF-12 still holds the records for the fastest and heaviest crewed interceptor to date. 4. North American XB-70 Valkyrie Initial Flight: 21 September 1964 Recorded Top Speed: 3,250 km/h or 2,020 mph (Mach 3.8) In the mid-1950s, due to the rapidly evolving strategic needs, the U.S Air Forces started investigating potential bombers, or ground attack aircraft, that could carry heavy payloads (including nuclear missiles) at supersonic speeds over long distances. The probe ended with the experimental aircraft North American XB-70, nicknamed ‘Valkyrie.’ Only two units of XB-70 were ever produced. Both of them had delta wing arrangements and were made mostly of stainless steel and titanium. The aircraft was powered by six turbojet engines producing a thrust of 120 kilonewtons (with afterburner). As an experimental aircraft, the XB-70 played an instrumental role in developing the late B-1 bomber and Tupolev Tu-144 programs. 5. Bell X-2 Starbuster Initial Flight: 18 November 1955 Recorded Top Speed: 3,050 km/h or 1,900 mph (Mach 2.87) The Bell X-2 was a research aircraft developed by Bell Aircraft in collaboration with the National Committee of Aeronautics (the predecessor of NASA) and the U.S Air Force to explore and investigate flight qualities above Mach 2 speeds. The X-2, nicknamed “Starbuster,” featured a swept-wing configuration and was driven by a powerful single Curtiss-Wright XLR25 rocket engine producing 67 kN thrust. On 23 July 1956, on his ninth and final X-2 test flight, Frank “Pete” Everest became the “fastest man alive” after achieving a record airspeed of 3,050 km/h at 20,764 m altitude. However, it was not the fastest recorded speed on a Bell-X-2. About two months after Everest’s record-setting flight, on 27 September 1956, pilot Milburn Apt on his first X-2 test flight reached Mach 3.1 speed or 3,369 km/h. It would have been a spotless record if Apt had successfully made it back to the surface. Moments after reaching the maximum speed, Apt lost control of his jet, resulting in a nosedive fall. Unable to release himself on time, Apt died soon after the aircraft crashed on the ground. 6. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 “Foxbat” Initial Flight: 6 March 1964 Recorded Top Speed: 3,000 km/h (Mach 2.8) The MiG-25 “Foxbat” (NATO reporting name) is a supersonic military aircraft developed by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG in the 1960s. The jet has a maximum operating speed limit of Mach 2.8. However, it’s capable of reaching much higher Mach 3+ speeds but not without permanent damages to the engine. Due to its exceptional speed and high cruising altitude (23,000 meters), MiG-25 could operate as an interceptor and a reconnaissance aircraft. The highest altitude achieved on a MiG-25 (albeit modified) is 37,650 meters by a Soviet pilot in 1977. After analyzing initial intelligence data on MiG-25, the Western Allies mistakenly believed it to be an agile fighter aircraft rather than an interceptor. It compelled the United States to initiate their own air superiority fighter project designated as F-15 Eagle. A MiG-31 of the Russian Air Force | Image Courtesy: Dmitriy Pichugin Despite the success of MiG-25, the Soviets were still without a supersonic interceptor that could engage Western fighters directly with adequate firepower. As a result, a replacement was introduced with additional capabilities but keeping the most critical aspects of the supersonic jet; speed and operational altitude. The new model, designated as MiG-31 “Foxhound,” featured some of the most advanced avionics and radar technology of its time. It has a similar outer appearance and, most importantly, maximum speed to its predecessor. 7. Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-152/ Ye-166 Initial Flight: 21 April 1961 Recorded Top Speed: 2,681 km/h or 1,665 mph The Ye-152 was an experimental heavy interceptor aircraft designed by the Mikoyan Gurevich Design Bureau in the late 1950s and early 60s. It was part of the Ye-150 family of aircraft. The net weight of a Ye-152 prototype aircraft was more than 12,300 kg, about 150 times that of its contemporary, MiG 21F (4,819 kg). It is due to heavier avionics and armaments. The aircraft featured a powerful but unreliable single Tumansky R�15 turbojet engine (later used in MiG-25). Nevertheless, it allowed the aircraft to reach airspeeds of 2,681 kilometers per hour. However, the record carried out by the Ye-152 is registered under a false name of Ye-166. 8. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Initial Flight: 27 July 1972 Recorded Top Speed: 2,655 km/h or 1,650 mph The F-15 is a twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense) that entered service nearly five decades ago. When the plane was first introduced, the air force labeled it as “the first dedicated USAF air superiority fighter since the 1940s’ F-86 Sabre.” The aircraft is powered by two afterburning turbofan engines producing 105.7 kN thrust and have a maximum achievable speed of 2,655 kilometers per hour (Mach 2.5). The F-15s have been a dominant force in skies, whether as an air-to-air fighter or a ground�attack aircraft (F-15E Strike Eagle). They were highly effective during the Gulf War winning most of their air-to-air battles. While the USAF remains the largest operator of the F-15s, they are an integral part of the other air forces such as the Royal Saudi Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force (licensed variant), and the Israeli Air Force. 9. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Initial Flight: 27 May 1958 Recorded Top Speed: 2,585 km/h or 1,606.3 mph The supersonic multirole aircraft F-4 Phantom II had been a cornerstone of the U.S Armed forces for more than three decades between the 1960s to 1990s. The aircraft was initially developed to replace the aging F3H Demon (carrier-based) fighters. However, due to the aircraft’s high adaptability, it was quickly embraced by the U.S Air Force and the Marine Corps. The F-4 Phantom established as much as sixteen world air records, all during its initial service years. Some of them were not broken until the mid-1970s. On 22 November 1961, during Operation Skyburner, a modified F-4 Phantom II reached a record speed of 2,585 km/h. Due to its large airframe and massive firepower, the F-4s were heavier and less maneuverable than its Russian counterparts, such as MiG-21. Nevertheless, the aircraft had been used extensively by other countries and wars. 10. Sukhoi SU-27 Initial Flight: 20 May 1977 Top Speed: 2,500 km/h or 1,600 mph With the arrival of fourth-generation warplanes such as the F-14 Tomcat and F-15 eagle, in the late 1960s and early 70s, the United States gained a commendable technological superiority over the existing Soviet military aircraft. As a counter, the Soviets launched the “Prospective Frontline Fighter” program to develop a highly agile fighter plane with Mach 2+ speed. The program concluded with MiG-29 and Su�27. The Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name “Flanker”) is relatively heavier and larger of the two, while both are versatile; capable of performing different combat roles. The aircraft is described as supermaneuverable, the ability to perform extreme tactical maneuvers that are not possible by simply adjusting the flight control surfaces, such as flaps, rudder, and air�breaks. At an altitude, the maximum airspeed of a Su-27 is 2,500 km/h (Mach 2.35). 11. Convair F-106 Delta Dart Initial Flight: 26 December 1956 Recorded Top Speed: 2,484 km/h or 1,544 mph The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the last true interceptor aircraft to serve the U.S Air Force. It was born out of USAF’s interceptor program in 1954 and made its first test flight three years later from Edwards Air Force Base. However, the test yielded disappointing results. Due to various performance issues and production delays, the air force cut down its initial order of Convair F-106 by 75 percent, acquiring less than 350 units. On 15 December 1959, about two months after being introduced into service, Major Joe Rogers set the world single-engine speed record (official) on an F-106 at 2,455 km/h or Mach 2.39. However, the fastest airspeed of a Convair F-106 Delta Dart is recorded at 2,484 km/h or 1,544 mph by aviator Charles Myers in 1959 as well. 12. Mikoyan Ye-66/ MiG-21 Initial Flight: June 16, 1955 Recorded Top Speed: 2,175 km/h or 1,351 mph The MiG-21 is a single-engine jet fighter capable of flying at twice the speed of sound. The aircraft entered the service in 1959 as a low-cost fighter that could only operate in the daytime. However, it was highly maneuverable in the air and could operate from unpaved runways. More than 50 different nations across the globe have, one time or another, utilized MiG-21 or its variants. It remains the most produced supersonic aircraft in the world and has the third-longest production run of any combat aircraft. Throughout the history of the MiG�21 program, many prototypes and design variants have been produced. One such prototype was Ye-6T or Ye-66 (unofficial), developed in 1958. This particular prototype would later establish multiple airspeed and altitude records. According to some sources, the fastest speed achieved by a Ye-6T prototype is 2,681 km/h or 1,666 miles per hour. However, the maximum speed of a production MiG-21 is redlined at 2,175 km/h (Mach 2.05).
 * Standard/Aeronautical phraseology is a set of communication rules for simplified English language communication between air traffic