Originally Posted by
RGN01
I'm confused by the announcement about the new search area and would appreciate it if anyone could explain it to me (fascinated by aviation but not a pilot).
So, we have been told that:
- MH370 sent a series of pings that have helped us understand how long it flew for
- It was originally reported that it had flown at high altitude and thus flown a certain distance (high altitude flight being more efficient)
- it is now reported that it flew faster and therefore used more fuel
- the primary search area has been moved Northwards and somewhat Westwards
It is this part that I'm battling to understand. If we know how long it was flying, and it is now reported that it flew faster, why has the search area been moved closer to the origin? Surely if it flew for the same length of time at a higher speed it would have flown further?
I'm sure I'm missing something but I can't see what
Thanks!
The fuel burn rate increases so that although the aircraft is flying faster it will run out of fuel earlier after a shorter distance. It will also be less affected by winds as it was faster.
Range speed of an aircraft (where it gets the most range) is not normally at particularly high Mach No. for the aircraft. Endurance speed of an aircraft (where it stays airborne longest) is slower and less range than range speed.