Highest Observed Groundspeed/Wind Speed

[5milesbaby]

Seen on my radar screen a few getting stuck in the headwinds, groundspeeds around 280-320kts for B737/A320's. The best one for this though is a Aurigny Trislander FL40 getting 42kts at best, and having to return to departure point as a result. Funny watching them come the other way at 160kts though. The best 'normal' jet g/s has to be a FedEx MD11 getting 725kts FL360, and a Tornado FL200 doing 615kts!!! Still, I miss the old bird on the New York flights, watching the speed increase until the question marks (???) appear as 1000kts is reached, only got 3 digit readouts

[scroggs]

Saw 700+kts for much of the cruise in a B742 (M0.85) from BOS to LHR - 4 hours 45 flight time. And it was very smooth, too!

[Rocco in Budapest]

666 in a 757 over Canada. Had around 645 at M.80 but sped up to an easier number to boast about.

[john_tullamarine]

PER-MEL early 80s. As I recall about 230kts tailwind component in the jetstream for most of the flight. And I still have a pix somewhere of a QF 74 overtaking us a couple of thousand feet above .. at the end of the sector (which was a freight leg) we did a run over the intersection to finish the timing. Can't (won't) recall the actual height .. but we were told after landing that it looked good from the ground.

[Guzzler]

Max Angle - that is brilliant! lol

[handysnaks]

Got a 200 Kt groundspeed once .......that was in a super puma though

[Lynx206]

400 in a B200 (TAS 250ish).

[expedite_climb]

Not quite record breaking, but for something slightly different we had a westerly that was up to about 80 or 90 kts at 3000' last year. Very funny doing the DVR departure out of LGW - GS over 350kts before we were abeam the airfield downwind !

[redadair]

uncomfortable wind

FL250 just south of GLA. Wind direction/speed readout 340/238kts! 42 deg drift. Commenced a descent, by the time descended through FL180 windspeed had dropped below 100kts.
only real time ive suffered with wind.

[compressor stall]

Lynx... pipped you by 4 - had 404 kts in an old B200C.

[stilton]

700 KTS groundspeed KCLE-EGKK B757!

[CyclicRick]

204 Kts ground speed in a Gazelle AH1..believe me that's fast!

[16 blades]

Best: 495kts.....


.....in a C130-K! (TAS 295kts) Is that some kind of percentage record??

.....at only 16 000' over Saudi. Needless to say, we flew the return leg much lower! Also seen 31deg drift @ FL200, same part of the world.

Worst: minus 10 kts @ 5000' - in a Bulldog. Wind on the nose at 70kts, IAS 60kts, just because I could!

Anyone (fixed-wing, please!!) done better (worse)?

16B

[ALLDAYDELI]

High speeds like this all very well but how much of this was in smooth conditions. Bumpy rides I have often associated with such winds but why sometimes do you get such a strong blast but smooth ride? Would appreciate clarification on why this might be.

[keithl]

16-blades - as I had occasion to mention on Rotorheads only recently, I managed -35kts in a JP. Got it into the lower reaches of a jetstream and reduced to 85ktsIAS. Informed by Radar Unit that they had me going 35kts backwards.

[16 blades]

Keithl,

Nice work fella!

16B

[discostu]

Remember one particulary windy day at EGJJ, the skipper of a Trislander being somewhat taken aback when asked to 'reduce speed' whilst flying downwind (must be a first!)
I believe his comment whilst on finals, with a groundspeed of 14kt, was that bicycles were overtaking him.

Just add strings & you have a big yellow kite!

[A-3TWENTY]

600 kts

ERJ-145 with a 160Kts tailwind

[TIMTS]

146kts gs in an R-22 doing an ILS approach into KTIX. What category would that put me in again??

[compressor stall]

146kts g/s with a 311kt tailwind!

Although the GPS was a little confused when referenced to true and within 100nm of a magnetic pole....when we turned over from mag to true the wind vector flicked 180deg and strengthened the closer we got!