View Full Version : Flying and the Earth's rotation
Behemoth
11-02-2008, 23:33
Bit of a puzzler here...
Does the rotation of the Earth have any effect on the time it takes to fly from one destination to another on an aeroplane?
I'm not brill with examples but I'll try and give you an i.e....
If I'm flying east but the Earth is rotating west, would I not reach my destination a little quicker because the earth is rotating my destination towards me?
Not the rotation but its the Jet streams that affects it
The earth rotates so slowly it wouldn't really make a difference to the time.
Behemoth
12-02-2008, 13:39
The earth rotates so slowly it wouldn't really make a difference to the time.
The Earth rotates at 1000mph doesn't it? But the Earth is 24,000km in circumference so it takes 24hours to complete a revolution.
Okay its partly jet stream and party earths Rotation:
Jet Streams
These are transfers of air in the upper atmosphere, on average above 10,000m (the height which jet planes fly). As they move form the equator to Poles, their general directions of flow is from west to east because of the deflection caused by the earth's rotation. This is why the flying time for a plane from the UK to USA is longer than on the return journey
Chloe O'brien
13-02-2008, 11:21
One thing that confuses me. Say you lived on the west coast of Canada in Calgary and you wanted to fly to Australia would you have to come east and fly over the whole world almost to reach the destination or are you able to fly west across the International date line.
One thing that confuses me. Say you lived on the west coast of Canada in Calgary and you wanted to fly to Australia would you have to come east and fly over the whole world almost to reach the destination or are you able to fly west across the International date line.
Erm I always wondereded that, it sounds silly though going all that way. Im not really sure what they do
di marco
13-02-2008, 12:49
One thing that confuses me. Say you lived on the west coast of Canada in Calgary and you wanted to fly to Australia would you have to come east and fly over the whole world almost to reach the destination or are you able to fly west across the International date line.
you can fly either way. when we went to new zealand/australia, we flew west on the way there, stopping over in america, and then west on the way back, stopping over in singapore
One thing that confuses me. Say you lived on the west coast of Canada in Calgary and you wanted to fly to Australia would you have to come east and fly over the whole world almost to reach the destination or are you able to fly west across the International date line.
you can fly either way. when we went to new zealand/australia, we flew west on the way there, stopping over in america, and then west on the way back, stopping over in singapore
What was the difference in length of flights?
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7246/datelinerj5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
So does the fly west policy apply when going from Samoa to New Zealand for example?? if fly west applies then going from Tonga to Samoa you gain a whole day for what is like a journey from Ireland to UK... how weird is that??
:eek: That is soooo werid, I always think that time zones amaze me
di marco
13-02-2008, 12:58
One thing that confuses me. Say you lived on the west coast of Canada in Calgary and you wanted to fly to Australia would you have to come east and fly over the whole world almost to reach the destination or are you able to fly west across the International date line.
you can fly either way. when we went to new zealand/australia, we flew west on the way there, stopping over in america, and then west on the way back, stopping over in singapore
What was the difference in length of flights?
erm i have absolutely no idea lol! cant remember, it was 7 years ago! i know that the flight over was 27hrs in total but that was with a 3hr stopover in america, the flight back was shorter cos the stopover was only about 1hr but i cant remember the exact time
di marco
13-02-2008, 12:59
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7246/datelinerj5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
So does the fly west policy apply when going from Samoa to New Zealand for example?? if fly west applies then going from Tonga to Samoa you gain a whole day for what is like a journey from Ireland to UK... how weird is that??
yes but then when you fly back youd lose a whole day so it evens out in the end
So does the fly west policy apply when going from Samoa to New Zealand for example?? if fly west applies then going from Tonga to Samoa you gain a whole day for what is like a journey from Ireland to UK... how weird is that??
Hang on, I just re-read this, do you mean fly west and go round the whole world, instead of just flying east?
So does the fly west policy apply when going from Samoa to New Zealand for example?? if fly west applies then going from Tonga to Samoa you gain a whole day for what is like a journey from Ireland to UK... how weird is that??
Hang on, I just re-read this, do you mean fly west and go round the whole world, instead of just flying east?
That is what I was wondering too.. mental!!
Cos if they went west they wouldnt really gain a day, just by the time they got there time would be pretty much the same as they left
Chloe O'brien
14-02-2008, 10:44
That's what I am cofused about as Siobhan says do you have to fly all around the world or can flights fly over the international date line. When I flew to egypt we were five hours flying there and seven coming back, due to the time difference but I don't know how it works out with countries near the date line.
di marco
14-02-2008, 22:01
That's what I am cofused about as Siobhan says do you have to fly all around the world or can flights fly over the international date line. When I flew to egypt we were five hours flying there and seven coming back, due to the time difference but I don't know how it works out with countries near the date line.
yeh you can fly over the date line (as i mentioned in one of my previous posts). i dont understand why it wouldnt be possible?
I have another question, why isnt the date line straight?
I have another question, why isnt the date line straight?
cause it would cut through a country and one part would be a day behind the other
I have another question, why isnt the date line straight?
cause it would cut through a country and one part would be a day behind the other
Yeah, I just though with the Sun and everything it would make things werid
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