If you are flying north to south on a long flight, say 10 hours, do you need to take into account the earth's

Question

rotation when planning the flight path that you will take?

Answer 1

Like most everyone said, the plane is already moving in the same direction as the earth's rotation and the atmosphere is also moving in that direction so no course correction is required.
Technically speaking, however, the air will move at a different velocity than the earth's surface for a few reasons:
1. The air is more "fluid" than the surface and not in rigid contact with the ground like, say, a flagpole which means it does not travel at exactly the same speed.
2. Like a roatating wheel, the outside of the wheel moves at a higher rotational velocity than the center of the wheel. Similarly, anything in contact with the earth that resides at a higher altitude will travel faster, although due to #1 this may be more than offset in the case of air.
3. Wind. Hurricanes, storms, moon's gravitation pull... This is probably the biggest factor. Weather conditions will require pilots to make minor course corrections but not as a direct result of the earth's rotation.

Answer 2

See, there's this pesky thing called gravity that has the tendency to attract mass towards the earth. This is what makes an airplane want to fall out of the sky when it is not generating enough lift. It also ensures that the atmosphere rotates at the same speed as the surface of the planet. Thus, an airplane simply flies from north to south/ east to west regardless of the rotation of the planet. The only rotation-related phenomenon has to do with the Coriolis effect causing cyclonic currents in the air mass.

Answer 3

Absolutely not.

If you follow a meridian line it will move faster in an easterly direction in space as you approach the equator, but so will the air surrounding the earth, and the air is what you're flying through, so no heading change is required or perceived while on such a flight. Also, no 'jet lag' effects will be noticed other than the fatigue from being cooped up in an aluminum tube for 10 hr....... The sun will appear to rise and set at its normal time by your clock.

Answer 4

no the rotation of the earth has nothing to do with the flight path you only take in account of how ur gonna get there by area and by the airports

Answer 5

No. When you are airborne you do not fly straight up and down because the atmosphere and gravity keep you at the same pace as the rotating earth

Answer 6

no, if you take off and head south, you are still at the same time traveling at the speed of the earth's rotation, therefor its like you are just flying without earth rotation

Answer 7

the atmosphere moves with the earth, otherwise there would be tremendous wind shear at the surface

the forces on the airplane are mainly associated with the air currents it is involved with

the affect of slippage through the rotating air changing the plane's position relative to the earth would be small compared to even minor atmospheric breezes

Answer 8

Probably not; the air on earth rotates with it, and therefore, so does the plane.

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

Rotation will have effect but the autopilot will take care of it.