Does the rotation of the earth have any impact on flight times of an aircraft?
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Well spotted!! The sun appears to move east to west so the earth is in fact turning the opposite direction, i.e. west to east. According to Cool_Hand's theory, the trip from LA to London (outbound) should be longer as London keeps moving away from you!
Besides, LA to London flights don't actually travel west to east, they go closer to north-south, over the arctic.
Besides, LA to London flights don't actually travel west to east, they go closer to north-south, over the arctic.
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Quite a few hot heads and pocket genii in here aren't there!
I know I should probably just let this die but as everyone seems to take delight in pointing out errors and jumping on band wagons I feel compelled to respond with a question.
The prevailing winds on this planet can be found here...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:G...nd_Systems.jpg
(When I say great circle route in the following paragraphs I am refering to the general routes in use, not many airline routes are true great circles but they try to be close given airspace retrictions and usage)
All of the above explanations debunk my answer due to my example. Agreed for that particular route using the great circle route you would pass across the bottom of Greenland and would pretty much stay in the region of Easterlies on that picture.
Now on a flight from LA to Sydney, using the great circle route, you would pretty much stay in the region of the westerlies around the equator, Why is the flight time from Sydney to LA c.13:20 and the return trip 14:35?
According to the consistant prevailing wind crowd this timing should be reversed.
As minor points of my own defence, I never said the aircraft loses it's inertia as soon as it lifts off, as has been suggested, if I implied that the flight time to LA would be much less than 10 hours. I assume that boundary layers and inertia are heard of and understood here, the example of jumping up and down is ridiculous beyond the extreme, it is as stupid as thinking that jumping out of a moving car no matter what the speed would end up with no injury because as soon as I left it I would be stationary. Give me a break.
Jet streams on a global scale are quite narrow events, the two I can recall from the ATPL's run from Newfoundland to Scotland, and Japan to Alsaka.
Barit1, you're right about that, completely backwards in my thinking that the planet is dragging the atmosphere around it.
I'll probably not post on this thread anymore as I could well be digging a hole for myself, but the hostility isn't worth it when trying to answer a question.
I know I should probably just let this die but as everyone seems to take delight in pointing out errors and jumping on band wagons I feel compelled to respond with a question.
The prevailing winds on this planet can be found here...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:G...nd_Systems.jpg
(When I say great circle route in the following paragraphs I am refering to the general routes in use, not many airline routes are true great circles but they try to be close given airspace retrictions and usage)
All of the above explanations debunk my answer due to my example. Agreed for that particular route using the great circle route you would pass across the bottom of Greenland and would pretty much stay in the region of Easterlies on that picture.
Now on a flight from LA to Sydney, using the great circle route, you would pretty much stay in the region of the westerlies around the equator, Why is the flight time from Sydney to LA c.13:20 and the return trip 14:35?
According to the consistant prevailing wind crowd this timing should be reversed.
As minor points of my own defence, I never said the aircraft loses it's inertia as soon as it lifts off, as has been suggested, if I implied that the flight time to LA would be much less than 10 hours. I assume that boundary layers and inertia are heard of and understood here, the example of jumping up and down is ridiculous beyond the extreme, it is as stupid as thinking that jumping out of a moving car no matter what the speed would end up with no injury because as soon as I left it I would be stationary. Give me a break.
Jet streams on a global scale are quite narrow events, the two I can recall from the ATPL's run from Newfoundland to Scotland, and Japan to Alsaka.
Barit1, you're right about that, completely backwards in my thinking that the planet is dragging the atmosphere around it.
I'll probably not post on this thread anymore as I could well be digging a hole for myself, but the hostility isn't worth it when trying to answer a question.
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Cool_Hand, I confirmed your ET's for the SYD-LAX route on a couple of QF flights, and I don't have a positive answer.
However, since these are BLOCK times, the long conga line for TO at LAX must be factored onto the westbound flight time, and I think that may eat up most of the difference.
I'm open to other ideas.
However, since these are BLOCK times, the long conga line for TO at LAX must be factored onto the westbound flight time, and I think that may eat up most of the difference.
I'm open to other ideas.
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
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Cool Hand - I'm sorry you have taken umbrage over the replies to your posts.
You have to expect that when people on an internet forum see that in your world the sun rises in the west and sets in the east they will respond with a 'flaming' - it is, I'm afraid, life.
You would still apppear to have east and west confused in your mind?
- since the track from Sydney to LA has an easterly component, it would appear logical that that leg would be quicker with the prevailing winds you describe.
There are many other reasons why an airline would post specific block times. Barit alludes to one. Routing, cruise speeds due to fuel costs are just 2 others.
I have a feeling that this thread may be nearing its 'best before' date (in whichever time zone
)
You have to expect that when people on an internet forum see that in your world the sun rises in the west and sets in the east they will respond with a 'flaming' - it is, I'm afraid, life.
You would still apppear to have east and west confused in your mind?
Now on a flight from LA to Sydney, using the great circle route, you would pretty much stay in the region of the westerlies around the equator, Why is the flight time from Sydney to LA c.13:20 and the return trip 14:35?
There are many other reasons why an airline would post specific block times. Barit alludes to one. Routing, cruise speeds due to fuel costs are just 2 others.
I have a feeling that this thread may be nearing its 'best before' date (in whichever time zone
)
