The need for speed: The fastest aircraft

Image source: fineartofdecals.com

Flight has always captured man’s imagination. When the Wright Brothers first came out with the airplane, people were amazed. When jet planes emerged after World War II, they changed aviation forever.


Over the past few decades, aircraft manufacturers have pushed the envelope on the development of airplanes. Together with the advancement of technology, few of the things the aviation industry only dreamed about were developed to challenge the very laws of physics. Here are a few of the fastest aircraft in the world.


Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: As far as fast jets go, this is the most popular one. The SR-71 Blackbird was manufactured by Lockheed for the purpose of reconnaissance and surveillance. It is also equipped with stealth features and with its 2,200 mph top speed, it’s even faster than missiles themselves.


North American X-15: The X-15 is a rocket-powered aircraft that has as its top speed, a staggering 4,520 mph. Its design, which includes an exaggerated tail and rocket thrusters (which are used to steer), allows the aircraft to reach such a mind-boggling speed. Many industry experts consider the X-15 to be the world’s first space plane.

Image source: sploid.gizmodo.com

Bell X-2 Starbuster: The X-2 Starbuster has a tragic story. Test pilot Milburn G. Apt took the plane and broke the record as the aircraft went past Mach 3, at 2,094 mph. He died due to pilot error while making a sharp turn. The aircraft was deemed too dangerous, and flights were stopped in less than a year.


Aviation and aerospace professional Scott Beale was responsible for expanding FlightWorks from a $1.5 million-dollar business when he purchased it in 2000 to a $90 million enterprise when he sold the business in 2010. For more reads on the aviation industry, visit this page.

Important points on airplane maintenance and airworthiness

Image source: faa-aircraft-certification.com

One cannot emphasize enough the importance of airplane maintenance and airworthiness. To keep all the parts of an airplane in perfect working order is a must, and the job has no room for error. This is why flying is still considered one of the safest ways to travel.


There is considerable effort in keeping an aircraft airworthy. To make the plane fit to take people to the skies, it has to comply with strict conditions. But once these conditions are met, people can be assured that it is safe to ride.


Factors for airworthiness include overall design, redundancy features, and the continued maintenance of its parts. Every time a plane lands after a long flight, especially through rough weather, it is inspected for airworthiness.


The maintenance of airplanes is significant to its airworthiness. Repairs have to be made and completed, in the proper way. Incomplete or improper repairs may not show up right away, but may very well lead to disaster.

Image source: robbreport.com

Thankfully, in the aviation industry, people responsible for airplane maintenance and airworthiness are thoroughly trained, therefore, highly skilled. They undergo strict examination processes to make sure they never miss so much as a single loose bolt.


Do you love flying? What are the things that make you feel safe during the travel? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.


Scott Beale has led various aviation firms in attaining growth in revenues with his competencies in strategic and tactical planning, account development and acquisition, government contract and management, sales team training and supervision, and financial reporting. More reads on aviation here.

Flight: The ultimate hobby

Image source: theraf.org

A lot of people, especially those who don’t have a pilot’s license, see flying as a job. Except for the occasional recreational flyer, the masses see flying as work. However, an overwhelming majority of pilots will have to disagree.


Flying is more like a vocation, something someone is called to do, a passion. In that sense, one can view flying as the ultimate hobby. It’s fun, fulfilling, but takes a lot of time and hard work.


Recreational flyers, of course, can afford to pay to fly. And for them, flying really is a hobby. Love for the adventure of flight then sustains commercial airline pilots who have to endure several hours of flight while getting only a few hours of rest.

Image source: infocusmagazine.ca

Flight allows pilots to physically reach more places in their lifetime compared unlike most of the rest of the people in the world. To be able to do this requires years of training, since many pilots have the responsibility of not only getting themselves, but hundreds of others as well, to their destination safely.


And while being a pilot is a financially rewarding job, for the true aviator, this is only secondary. Remember that old adage that says if you love what you’re doing, you’ll never have to work a day in your life? That’s flying. That’s the ultimate hobby, right there.


Aviation and aerospace professional Scott Beale was responsible for expanding FlightWorks from a $1.5 million-dollar business when he purchased it in 2000 to a $90 million enterprise when he sold the business in 2010. For more info on Scott’s work and career, visit this page.