Longshot flightpath question

[geopat]

I've always been curious when seeing 747s high overhead flying north as to where they may be going...I stay 20 miles east of Edinburgh.

Any ideas what routes would go over this area?

Thanks

[ANDYSPPR]

I think the routes that planes fly often look strange because we are so used to looking at flat maps.

I live in Derbyshire yet we have a constant stream of aircraft flying what appear to be unusual routes, London - Los Angeles, New York - Singapore etc. However, I find that if you look on a globe then the routes make a little more sense. Aircraft fly as near as possible to a great circle route between airports. Various other considerations come into play ie range, diversion airports, airways etc but a globe will certainly help.

Anyway, onto your questions. I spend many happy days watching flights all over the UK but I have not taken particular note of your particular location. I would suspect that you will get lots of trans-Atlantic flights coming from continental Europe/Middle East over to the US/Canada. These often (but not always) route over Scotland, south of Greenland and onwards.

I am sure others will tell you the exact flights but I will watch out tomorrow, if I get chance, and let you know what I see.

Cheers, Andy S

[LGS6753]

Log on to RadarVirtuel.com and you will see the flight number, type, route and height of all aircraft on upper airways throughout north west europe.

Enjoy watching

[Peter47]

The great circle routes between CDG or LHR and the U.S. West Coast passes over Scotland. Check it on a globe if you have one. Obviously the actual route on a day will be affected by items such as predicted wind speed and congestion. The plane could it could be on any number of routes to/from the West Coast. I have actually passed over Scotland on an LHR - Toronto flight to avoid heavy winds, although that is not usual for the route.

It could also be a flight from AMS to the East Coast.

You could try checking on the web

Watch Air Traffic - LIVE!

[NorthSouth]

If you're 20 miles east of Edinburgh, none of the aircraft you see will be departures from London or Paris. They will all be transatlantic flights from continental Europe to N America. If they're heading north west they will almost certainly be going to US west coast destinations, e.g. from Amsterdam, Frankfurt etc. If they're heading west they are more likely to be going to places such as New York, Toronto, Chicago, and probably originating from Denmark, Poland etc.

You won't see very many eastbound flights unless you're up at 5 in the morning because the transatlantic flows are timed so that westbounds go over in the late morning/afternoon and eastbounds fly overnight.

NS