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How jet streaks help air travel | Weather Minds

An aircraft broke the transatlantic flight record on Sunday with the help of a jet streak.

SAN ANTONIO — The meteorologists at KENS 5 often talk about the jet stream as being a steering source for weather systems, but it can also be something that helps aircraft travel faster.

Sometimes there are spots within the jet stream where winds are moving at a much higher pace than the rest. These areas are called jet streaks.

Credit: Andrew Wilson
How jet streaks help air travel.

Jet streaks can be used by aircraft to travel at much higher speeds, as long as the aircraft has wind blowing in the same direction of travel.

Credit: Andrew Wilson
How jet streaks help air travel.

Aircraft may even sometimes steer into a jet streak if they have a good tailwind, but if it is the opposite, with a strong headwind, aircraft may have to fly out of the way to avoid the jet streaks.

A strong jet streak was moving across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday when an aircraft broke the transatlantic flight record by 17 minutes, sometimes traveling at more than 800 mph.

Credit: Andrew Wilson
How jet streaks help air travel.

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