View Full Version : Matemathics, hard question.
Krallu
5th Sep 2003, 15:32
Hi!
I'm looking for the correct equation for the distance between any 2 latitude and longitude pos on earth. Both the great circle and rhumb line between them.
Anyone knows any equation that can be used? It is do be inserted in a flight planning software.
Thanks!
Just a bit of spherical trigonometry. Nothing hard.
You'll have what you need on this:www.best.com/~williams/avform.htm (http://www.best.com/~williams/avform.htm)
Krallu
5th Sep 2003, 16:29
Thanks!
Great site.
Sorry for saying hard, but I wasn't sure about how much is tought on ATPL level.
Hard is always a relative word. :)
Notso Fantastic
5th Sep 2003, 18:29
Isn't it the famous Dist= Diff Long x cos lat (mean)? Longitude converted to minutes.
compressor stall
8th Sep 2003, 09:25
Off the top of my head, that's the formula for the change in apparent track over the course of the great circle isn't it?
Krallu
8th Sep 2003, 19:30
What formula is used in flight computers on commercial airliners?
I'm looking for the formula that are granted for use in commercial navigation and calculations by the JAA.
Hartington
8th Sep 2003, 19:44
I was doing some research into this a couple of years ago and came across this site http://williams.best.vwh.net/gccalc.htm
It offers 9 different predetermined "shapes" for the earth and also allows you to define your own!
Krallu
8th Sep 2003, 21:11
Yes, I got the site from an earlier post.
Is it WGS84 that is the approved geoid to use in aviation?
But the site doens't give a formula for it, does it? Only for a sphere?