<p><a href="https://what-if.xkcd.com/30/" rel="nofollow">Someone else</a> answered a somewhat related question (<strong>can</strong> you fly through Jupiters atmosphere?).</p>

<p>From the website:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Jupiter: Our Cessna can’t fly on Jupiter; the gravity is just too strong. The power needed to maintain level flight is three times greater than that on Earth. Starting from a friendly sea-level pressure, we’d accelerate through the tumbling winds into a 275 m/s (600 mph) downward glide deeper and deeper through the layers of ammonia ice and water ice until we and the aircraft were crushed.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Not sure if it would work with a stronger airplane. So, the answer is probably "you can't do that".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T13:05:59.667Z
Alex..thank you so much for your scientific answer..i just ask this question because of my curiosity & about the Planet size. i know this cannot be happen.
RANSARA009
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T13:11:15.327Z
I only posted because I thought "I read this somewhere", and I found the link above amusing. The actual answer for a hypothetical superplane will depend on how deep into the atmosphere you have to descend in order to have enough lift. This quickly gets very technical and very complicated.
Alex
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T13:01:00.090Z
2016-08-09T13:01:00.090Z
Alex
<p>It will depend on the speed of the jet, however:</p>

<p>Jupiter has an equatorial circumference of 449,200 km, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747#Specifications" rel="noreferrer">a current-generation 747 has a top speed of 988 km/h</a> so it will take about 455 hours or nearly 19 days (18.9) (this doesn't allow for re-fueling).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T16:47:02.717Z
For comparison, if the 747 at top speed went around Earth's equatorial circumference (to actually fly, it would have to go further, but I'm keeping things simple), It would take about 40.5 hours or 1.69 days.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T17:45:48.407Z
@called2voyage wow. I thought Jupiter was bigger than that.
John Dvorak
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T19:21:00.527Z
@JanDvorak Even the monumental Jupiter is relatively small. Compare to the time it would take the same 747 to go around the Sun's equatorial circumference: about 4420 hours or 184 days.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T19:23:02.597Z
Never mind refueling; an unmodified 747 depends on the atmosphere it flies in to supply oxidizer for the fuel anyway, and it doesn't look like the Jovian atmosphere will be good for that.
hmakholm left over Monica
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T19:23:21.677Z
Now for the more interesting question: how do the orbital periods compare?
John Dvorak
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T19:25:20.093Z
@HenningMakholm Good comment, but I'm going to go ahead and cut this short. This question is not supposed to be one of engineering, but more of a way of getting a more tangible perception of Jupiter's size. Alex's answer, Tim's comment, and your comment are now sufficient to give a summary of issues for the uninformed. Please take any other feasibility issues to chat.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-10T00:15:22.033Z
@JanDvorak  1,000 times the volume but just 10 times the circumference.  That's how volume to radius works, to the 3rd power.  (the actual, 11 times is mostly due to it's fast rotation rate and equatorial bulging).   I happen to think that 10 earth diameters is huge.   Planets don't get much bigger than that.   Stars do, planets don't.
userLTK
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T12:14:04.680Z
2016-08-09T19:16:55.237Z
2016-08-09T19:16:55.237Z
James Screech
<p>Assuming a 747 could fly around Jupiter at its top Earth speed (I know this assumption is unrealistic), how long would it take to fly around Jupiter once? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T16:01:27.330Z
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it does not appear to be about astronomy.
SE - stop firing the good guys
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T16:05:39.537Z
@Hohmannfan Disagree, the OP is using the time taken as a more tangible measurement of how large Jupiter is.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T16:09:02.287Z
On the other hand, you could close it as trivial math if you want, but I'm not going to make that call.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-09T19:14:52.103Z
To address the unrealistic assumptions, here's a good read: https://what-if.xkcd.com/30/
alter_igel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-10T17:47:25.880Z
@called2voyage: he doesn't say what context he wants to use it for. The question as it stands looks totally like a homework question and that's not what we answer here.
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-10T17:49:17.213Z
@AtmosphericPrisonEscape Agreed as far as "homework question", though I really doubt the OP actually has this in homework, but you would be perfectly justified in voting to close as math homework.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-27T15:11:33.707Z
Perhaps @RANSARA009 could rewrite the question to make it [on topic](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic). See: What topics can I ask about here? - Off topic are 'usage of equipment' (a stretch), or better 'questions that are purely hypothetical'. Without airspeed and altitude any calculations are a guess, along with the best altitude at which to attempt flight (on a craft with unspecified modifications). It's trivial to ask the diameter, somewhat better to ask "How long did a particular satellite take to make one orbit?" (how that info is generally useful is another matter).
Rob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-15T18:07:32.597Z
Might have to fill passenger compartment with fuel. 261,000 miles without a fuel stop is asking a *lot*.
Wayfaring Stranger
<planet><jupiter>
How long would it take a Boeing 747 to go around Jupiter?
RANSARA009
# How long would it take a Boeing 747 to go around Jupiter?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-09)

Assuming a 747 could fly around Jupiter at its top Earth speed (I know this assumption is unrealistic), how long would it take to fly around Jupiter once?

**Tags:** planet, jupiter
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it does not appear to be about astronomy.  
> **username_2**: @Hohmannfan Disagree, the OP is using the time taken as a more tangible measurement of how large Jupiter is.  
> **username_2**: On the other hand, you could close it as trivial math if you want, but I'm not going to make that call.  
> **username_3**: To address the unrealistic assumptions, here's a good read: https://what-if.xkcd.com/30/  
> **username_4**: @called2voyage: he doesn't say what context he wants to use it for. The question as it stands looks totally like a homework question and that's not what we answer here.  
> **username_2**: @AtmosphericPrisonEscape Agreed as far as "homework question", though I really doubt the OP actually has this in homework, but you would be perfectly justified in voting to close as math homework.  
> **username_5**: Perhaps @RANSARA009 could rewrite the question to make it [on topic](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic). See: What topics can I ask about here? - Off topic are 'usage of equipment' (a stretch), or better 'questions that are purely hypothetical'. Without airspeed and altitude any calculations are a guess, along with the best altitude at which to attempt flight (on a craft with unspecified modifications). It's trivial to ask the diameter, somewhat better to ask "How long did a particular satellite take to make one orbit?" (how that info is generally useful is another matter).  
> **username_6**: Might have to fill passenger compartment with fuel. 261,000 miles without a fuel stop is asking a *lot*.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_8 on 2016-08-09. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

It will depend on the speed of the jet, however:

Jupiter has an equatorial circumference of 449,200 km, [a current-generation 747 has a top speed of 988 km/h](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747#Specifications) so it will take about 455 hours or nearly 19 days (18.9) (this doesn't allow for re-fueling).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: For comparison, if the 747 at top speed went around Earth's equatorial circumference (to actually fly, it would have to go further, but I'm keeping things simple), It would take about 40.5 hours or 1.69 days.  
> **username_9**: @called2voyage wow. I thought Jupiter was bigger than that.  
> **username_2**: @JanDvorak Even the monumental Jupiter is relatively small. Compare to the time it would take the same 747 to go around the Sun's equatorial circumference: about 4420 hours or 184 days.  
> **username_10**: Never mind refueling; an unmodified 747 depends on the atmosphere it flies in to supply oxidizer for the fuel anyway, and it doesn't look like the Jovian atmosphere will be good for that.  
> **username_9**: Now for the more interesting question: how do the orbital periods compare?  
> **username_2**: @HenningMakholm Good comment, but I'm going to go ahead and cut this short. This question is not supposed to be one of engineering, but more of a way of getting a more tangible perception of Jupiter's size. Alex's answer, Tim's comment, and your comment are now sufficient to give a summary of issues for the uninformed. Please take any other feasibility issues to chat.  
> **username_11**: @JanDvorak  1,000 times the volume but just 10 times the circumference.  That's how volume to radius works, to the 3rd power.  (the actual, 11 times is mostly due to it's fast rotation rate and equatorial bulging).   I happen to think that 10 earth diameters is huge.   Planets don't get much bigger than that.   Stars do, planets don't.  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2016-08-09. Score: 1

[Someone else](https://what-if.xkcd.com/30/) answered a somewhat related question (**can** you fly through Jupiters atmosphere?).

From the website:

> Jupiter: Our Cessna can’t fly on Jupiter; the gravity is just too strong. The power needed to maintain level flight is three times greater than that on Earth. Starting from a friendly sea-level pressure, we’d accelerate through the tumbling winds into a 275 m/s (600 mph) downward glide deeper and deeper through the layers of ammonia ice and water ice until we and the aircraft were crushed.

Not sure if it would work with a stronger airplane. So, the answer is probably "you can't do that".

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Alex..thank you so much for your scientific answer..i just ask this question because of my curiosity & about the Planet size. i know this cannot be happen.  
> **username_7**: I only posted because I thought "I read this somewhere", and I found the link above amusing. The actual answer for a hypothetical superplane will depend on how deep into the atmosphere you have to descend in order to have enough lift. This quickly gets very technical and very complicated.  

---

