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Old 16th May 2007, 15:43
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Rainboe
Warning Toxic!
Disgusted of Tunbridge
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Hampshire, UK
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Do you long haul pilots out there know anything about this
Do we know about Great Circles and Rhumb Lines? Yessir! We can spell it as well without the need for capitals! My goodness have you come to the right place for this!

You fly Great Circles between every 10 degrees longitude, staying at nice round figure en route points like 51N 30W. This gives legs up to about 380 miles maximum on the N. Atlantic. Chief determining factor is the location of the jetstream winds which blow west to east across to Europe/N.Africa at up to 200kts. So the routes planned (which are currently set at 1 degree, or 60 nms apart) are arranged to either benefit from this or avoid as much as possible. It is planned by Shanwick (British Isles side) or Gander (Canada), and there are about 5 routes each way. The shortest route is usually not the most economical.
Plenty on N. Atlantic routes if you use Search.

Last edited by Rainboe; 16th May 2007 at 15:54.
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