How fast can a human fly in a jet?

The North American x-15 is described as hypersonic rather than supersonic, as it can exceed speed five times the speed of sound. It tops out at 4520 mph or 6.7 Mach and still holds the record for fastest manned aircraft with most other planes not even close.



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Could The Human Body Survive Mach 10? Tom Cruise's character's feat of Mach 10 speed in Top Gun: Maverick is one scientifically improbable stunt out of many featured in the film. That being said, is it possible for the human body to be able to withstand such acceleration? The most likely answer is a resounding no.

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Maverick Probably Couldn't Survive Ejecting At Mach 10 However, in reality, no known aircraft has ever traveled above Mach 3 and no manned aircraft has had a pilot eject at a speed higher than Mach 2.5 and live to tell the tale. The relative weight and density of air outside the craft would kill the pilot instantly.

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While the speed of sound is 760 mph at sea level, it's actually closer to 660 mph at 55,000 ft. In the Top Gun sequel's opening scene, Maverick pilots an experimental aircraft that doesn't exist in real life. However, there are things that are comparable.

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In the air, the record belongs to the US Air Force's X-15 jet, which reached speeds of Mach 6.72. Translation? 4520 miles per hour. If you need a point of reference for this astronomical figure, I've got it for you: at that speed, you could circumnavigate the globe in just over 100 minutes.

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In the new Top Gun movie, Tom Cruise ejects from a hypersonic jet at Mach 10 and survives. How realistic is this? It would be fatal for the pilot. If an ejection at supersonic speeds needs to take place, the pilot must be protected from the airflow via an ejection capsule.

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