How many airplanes on average could be flying concurrently at any given time?

Answer 1

This question gives me comfort whenever I'm feeling a little anxious right before takeoff, because it reminds me that my flight is going to be just as typical and anticlimactic as the next one 5 minutes from now.

At any given time consider that in the US alone every major and minor city's airport has a plane taking off, and a plane landing approximately every few minutes from about 5:00 am to about 1:00 am. A typical large airport with two arrival runways can thus handle about 60 arrivals per hour in good weather. Now consider that most major cities have multiple large airports. (I.E. New York CIty has JFK, La Guardia, Newark) Now consider more minor cities like Oklahoma City and their airports.

This isn't even taking into account parcel flights, civilian aviation, and military avaiation, or all of the other countries and cities all over the world doing the exact same thing.

There is literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of planes in the air at any given time every day.

Answer 2

You can look at live tracking statistics at Flightaware.

It looks like the peak traffic (USA only) of IFR aircraft is around 5200 or so. And, as another point of reference:

FlightAware has tracked 49,429 arrivals in the last 24 hours.

We'd have to include all the European/Asian/African/South American ones as well. Additionally, it would be hard to keep track of the aircraft that fly without ATC assistance (VFR) because they're not 'logged' on anything.

Answer 3

Thousands

Answer 4

All of them, theoretically.

Answer 5

Our planet has not yet reached the saturation point. Plenty of room for more.
But, please -- not in my neighborhood

Answer 6

enough to get real scared of any new terrorist attacks!!!!