Fastest of the Fast: A Look at Speedy Aircraft

Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article presents a selection of fast aircraft, showcasing a range from general aviation planes to commercial airliners and experimental jets.
It highlights the top speeds of various aircraft, including the Cessna TTx (235 knots), the Piaggio Avanti II (fastest turboprop at 400 knots), and the supersonic Concorde (Mach 2.04).
The list culminates with incredibly fast experimental aircraft like the North American X-15A-2 (Mach 6+) and mentions the classified Aurora project, demonstrating the pinnacle of aviation speed.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Get a quick glance at some of the fastest aircraft in their class.

Cessna TTx Top speed: 235 knots Masks need to be on at 25,000 feet.

Eurocopter X3 Top speed: 255 knots Is this the future of vertical flight?

Piaggio Avanti II Top speed: 400 knots Tri-surface fuel miser is fastest turboprop.

Bombardier Global 6000 Top speed: Mach .89 Jet becomes 6,000 nm cruiser at slower speeds.

Boeing 747 Top speed: Mach .92 After nearly 50 years, this jumbo still wows.

Cessna Citation X Top speed: Mach .935 Midsize speedster will nudge G650 by a hair.

Concorde Top speed: Mach 2.04 The civil speed king is no longer flying.

North American X-15A-2 Top speed: Mach 6+ Hourly operating costs are classified.

Aurora We would tell you how fast, but the NSA might be reading.

FLYING Magazine is a one-stop resource for everything aviation, including news, training, aircraft, gear, careers, photos, videos, and more.