Interview Question

[P.A.T]

Hi all,

Trying to do some interview prep on the hopes that I'll eventually get one. I came across an interview question someone was asked before but I cant seem to come up with an answer. Wondering if anyone can shed any light on this.

"Which is easier to navigate along, a meridian of longitude or a parallel of latitude?"

As far as I know both meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude are rhumb lines so that rules out the fact that rhumb lines are easier to navigate than great cirlces (which meridians of longitude are).

Any thoughts?

[FrankAbagnale]

Dude, didnt you just contradict yourself ?:rolleyes:

[XX621]

Isn't it meridians of longtitude?, surface distance of a 1 degree arc along a meridian is constant.

[P.A.T]

Frank not sure how I contradicted myself. Meridians of longitude are both rhumb lines and great circles.

XX621, I think I get what your saying. A 1 degree of arc is a constant distance along all meridians of longitude, but if you are constantly travelling along the same parallel of latitude wouldn't each 1 degree arc, on that parallel of latitude, be the same distance? I know the distance of a 1 degree arc will be different for each parallel of latitude but we are talkin about travelling along the same parallel.

[BusinessMan]

Reality in many jobs is that the FMS won't care :) ... my point being that it depends how you look at the Qn: as a trainee having done GNav this qn would seem important, but you are applying to join the working world and it could be good to demonstrate this understanding that your perspective will be changing, as long as you put it very tactfully.

As importantly, there may not be a 'correct' either/or answer. In interview it is not necessarily a problem to say this, as long as you can back up your thinking.

Rather the interviewer may be more interested in hearing how you think the problem through and how you deal with being put on the spot with a qn that doesn't have an obvious answer.

You seem to have thought it through logically and good on you for trying to put in the hard work preparing properly for an interview :D

HTH & Good luck, BM

[P.A.T]

Thanks for the input lads. Some good ideas there. On the off chance that the question does come up for me at some stage at least now I'll be able to talk about the subject and make some good points pn it.

[THRILLSEEKER]

A parrallel of latitude is easier to navigate along than a meridian of longitude.

A parallel of latitude crosses all meridians of longitude at the same angle, therefore once you set off on a parallel of latitude at the same initial bearing you proceed along it as a straight line and so not changing your TRUE direction (not magnetic).

A meridian of longitude is a great circle, to navigate a great circle you continually need to keep changing your bearing.

Far too early tone thinking about Gen Nav again!

Thrillseeker

[EK4457]

A meridian of longitude is a great circle, to navigate a great circle you continually need to keep changing your bearing.

So, to go from the north pole to the south pole via a great circle, you need to consatntly change true track? I would think you just go south.

As said earlier, meridians of longitude are BOTH great circles and rhumb lines.

Any other GC will not be a rhumb line, except the EQ.

Parallels of lattitude are just rhumb lines.

So you can navigate both just as easily using a constant heading.

Mabe the PofL is harder due to transport wander of the DI gyro.

I personally think it's an open Q. They are probably wanting you to talk about this nonsense for a while, giving you answer and using your knowledge to back it up. It would be text book for the interviewer to then disagree with you, giving their reasons and seening how you cope.

PAT, I would say you kind of answered the Q in your first post.

EK

[THRILLSEEKER]

Ah yes you are quite correct, forgive me, it was fairly early on a Saturday morning!

A meridian of longitude and a Parallel of latitude are both Rhumb lines, therefore you set your heading and off you go! ... Simples :p

A good question for an interview to get a debate going, the more I think about it the more I like it :}

A great circle apart from a meridian of longitude (or the equator) will require a constant change in heading to maintain it.

I'm glad the FMC takes care of it anyway :ok:

[shaun ryder]

Ah how sweet, I'll bet you are. Just keep following that pink line and you will be fine for now.