by rayiner 6 hours ago
Today’s airliners cruise slower than a 747.
For very rational economic reasons, underpinned by the same fundamental physical principle that makes my car more fuel-efficient doing 60 instead of 85.
Not due to any technical limitation, and that is just one single metric.
But they do so much more efficiently, and the speed difference is minimal (Boeing 747-8 cruises at 706 mph, 787 Dreamliner at 690 mph).
There’s nothing sexy about incremental efficiency advances.