Take off and climb speed

[svpst]

I understand that regulations supposedly call for speeds under 250 mph when less than 10,000 feet. However, I've had some friends flying lately out of Orlando, New York and Chicago, and in all 4 of the flights I have tracked, the planes were showing 270 to 350 kts at less than (usually 8,000 to 10,000) feet. By 10,000 most are close to 400. Have rules changes?

[mrzippy]

Any possibility that the speed you were tracking was ground speed and not KIAS?

[dnpaul]

Flightaware shows TAS, not IAS.

[MrUnSavory]

The only way you can fly over 250 under 10,000 is with ATC approval.

[miamimarlins]

Maybe your friends dont know the rules?

 

As far as True vs IAS, IAS wont vary that much from True airspeed. Depends on a few factors of course.

[N2056]

His friends were riding real aircraft that the OP tracked with one of the online products. Those products give speeds as TAS.

At 10,000', 50*F, and 29.92" 300KTS indicated yields 359KTS true.

I don't see a big issue here as the tracking sites don't seem to provide all of the data needed to do an accurate calculation.

Here's a conversion tool you can play with...

 

http://indoavis.co.id/main/tas.html

[JSMR]

Dunno 'about in the States, but in other countries speed restrictions can be cancelled. In Australia often they are cancelled. 300-320 kts below 10,000 pretty common.

[mallcott]

I understand that regulations supposedly call for speeds under 250 mph when less than 10,000 feet. However, I've had some friends flying lately out of Orlando, New York and Chicago, and in all 4 of the flights I have tracked, the planes were showing 270 to 350 kts at less than (usually 8,000 to 10,000) feet. By 10,000 most are close to 400. Have rules changes?

 

First, you have stated `mph` in your post when it's Kts. Perhaps your friends made similar or other mistakes?

 

it is quite common for the rules to be cancelled by ATC to allow quicker vectoring from SIDS to en route.

 

The speed limit was introduced to allow for throttling back for reduced noise over sensitive areas when aircraft didn't have a surfeit of power, and would be operating at max thrust - and therefore noise.

Modern airliners and noise footprint of high bypass ratio turbofans, together with requirements to expedite traffic flows, often mean the speed maxima is waived as part of the approval.

 

`Get high, fast` is also a staple for reduced fuel flows in jet aircraft

[svpst]

Thanks for your responses. All tracking was don on Flightaware. Friends were flying on airlines. First sentence of comment i inadvertently used MPH. All other references were to kts. All numbers used were Flightaware numbers. Just for the record. Thanks again for all the responses. Two flights were from Orlando, KMCO one from KORD and one from KLGA. Friends had nothing to do with the flight. I was simply tracking the flights because my friends were on board.

[lnuss]

The speed limit was introduced to allow for throttling back for reduced noise over sensitive areas when aircraft didn't have a surfeit of power, and would be operating at max thrust - and therefore noise.

 

See and avoid with the heavier traffic load down low was also a big factor (at least in the US).

[lnuss]

Maybe your friends dont know the rules?

 

As far as True vs IAS, IAS wont vary that much from True airspeed. Depends on a few factors of course.

 

At sea level that may be true, but the difference becomes quite dramatic at jet altitudes, and is still very pronounced at 10,000 feet.

[mikeandpatty]

KTAS at 10,000 MSL at standard atmospheric conditions at 10,000 MSL is roughly 120% of KIAS; 250 KIAS would be roughly 300 KTAS. My guess is the readouts you see are groundspeed, showing the effect of local wind on ground track. Also, heavies often are granted lifting of speed restrictions by ATC if needed.