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Old 21st Jun 2018, 14:40
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pattern_is_full
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Denver
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An increasing headwind will have to keep increasing to infinite speed to do much good for more than a few seconds. Pretty rapidly, the inertia of the aircraft is overcome, and it is just drifting backwards with the headwind. No more relative headwind at the wing's leading edge, and a decrease in ground speed. Either of which will make achieving "long distances" - ummm - challenging.

This is more or less just a restating of the "turn into the wind" question - unless an aircraft is fixed in position (tied down on the ground), the external wind has no effect on airspeed - which is what produces lift. Except for very brief moments (gusty turbulence or shear) where a gust may act faster than inertia can be overcome.

You fly into the increasing headwind along the edge of the jet stream, and maybe gain a few seconds of extra lift and a bit of altitude. And you fly a little further into the shear and gain a few more feet, but soon you will be in the core of the jetstream, with no more shear, just a steady headwind. What do you do? If you fly out towards the edge of the jet, you now have a decreasing headwind/shear and will lose altitude again. TANSTAAFL ("There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.")
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