Lockerbie Navigation
I agree with the posts (as an observer not a professional) outlining the great circle routing and winds regarding the positioning of Clipper 103. An additional element in the fact that the aircraft came down over Lockerbie I believe is that it was behind time. The explosion was planned to occur over the ocean similar to the Air India 747.
A question though regarding track miles v winds.
On 30th September I flew from Paris to Boston on an Air France A340. According to the cabin flight route display we travelled in a straight line across the atlantic which surprised me. On the return journey we did travel what I thought was the more conventional route up the coast of Nova Scotia South of Greenland and eventually overhead Jersey into French Airspace in what I took to be a great circle route (bearing in mind the previous info about east/west winds). Why the difference?
The common sense answer seems to be that the primary consideration is wind but as there may be factors of which I know nothing eg traffic density, routing reqirements can anyone shed a light?