Exceptional weather conditions enabled LOT Airlines to complete the journey from Newark Airport in New York to Warsaw in a record-breaking time of 6 hours and 55 minutes on October 31st. The Polish airline achieved this milestone on its New York to Warsaw LO16 flight, which typically takes 7.5 to 8 hours.
During the October 31st flight, the LOT Boeing 787-9 reached an incredible speed of 1230 km per hour, significantly surpassing its usual cruising speed of 900 km per hour and practically matching the speed of sound.
The strong tailwind played a crucial role in this remarkable achievement, contributing to the actual airspeed of the aircraft being a combination of its groundspeed and the speed of the tailwind. Within the moving air mass, the Boeing 787-9 maintained its standard cruising speed, ensuring the safety of the flight.
Weather conditions not only have the potential to accelerate aircraft but also to slow them down. This phenomenon is evident in videos online where small planes appear to hover in the air due to strong headwinds.
