How long would it take to cross the US at Mach 10?

The differences at 80,000 feet should be minimal as well, meaning that Maverick's projected top speed (Mach 10.2), if he were to fly the Darkstar beyond 60,000 ft., is around 6,732 mph. This would theoretically allow the pilot to travel the width of the U.S. in under 25 minutes.



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Maverick breaks the Mach 10 speed barrier in the movie, a speed that is practically impossible for a human to achieve due to extreme G-forces and potential damage to the body. The real-life SR-72, which the Darkstar prototype is based on, is under development but won't come close to the Mach 10 speed seen in the film.

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Number 1: North American X-15 This aircraft has the current world record for the fastest manned aircraft. Its maximum speed was Mach 6.70 (about 7,200 km/h) which it attained on the 3rd of October 1967 thanks to its pilot William J. “Pete” Knight.

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The fastest fighter jet ever created was the NASA/USAF X-15. It was an experimental aircraft that resembled more of a rocket with wings but managed to reach a record 4,520mph. The fastest fighter jet in the world today is the MiG-25 Foxbat, with a top speed of 2,190mph, half the speed of the X-15.

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While Tom Cruise did really fly in Top Gun: Maverick with certain aircraft, confirming his exceptional pilot skills, the F/A-18 Super Hornets are not the kind of plane just anyone can jump into and take off.

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During Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise hit Mach 10 in the SR-72 Darkstar. That plane might even up being real in some format: Aviation buffs and military experts alike revere the unprecedented capabilities of an airframe produced more than forty-five years ago.

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Cessna Citation X and Citation X+ The citation X+ possesses the speed of Mach 0.935 (536 kt, 993 km/h). This remarkable feature makes it the fastest civil aircraft in the mighty blue sky.

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