Since the shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line, do planes fly by the same principle?

Question

Why do the planes turn n twist and zigzag while flying from one destination to another?

Answer 1

Planes do not fly in a straight line. Due to the curvature of the earth's surface they fly in what is called a great circle route. This is the shortest distance between two point around a sphere. As others have said, you will also have changes to this route based on local air traffic and weather.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_circle

Answer 2

yes and no... on continental flights (time over wanter <2 hours) planes will fly a relatively straight line from point a to point b, depending on weather and such. on intercontential flights, the 'great circle' route is taken not because it is so much shorter but because it is safer. An commercial airplane has a distance of x that it can travel with respects to dropping y. In case of engine failure, airplanes need to attempt to land somewhere, preferably and airfield. An average plane has around two hours of when it could convievebally lose all engine power until it would hit the ground due to gravity. Assuming an airplane travels as 500 mph, the plane would be able to travel about 1000 mi before it would land, therefore, its probally a good idea to be within this range at all times during flight. This can be achieved by sticking 'close' to russia, alaska, canada, and greenland for intercontinental northern hemisphere flights.

also, i know people like to think that everything in flight is being monitored, but it really isnt. Their is no control tower watching every flight at all times. Airplanes are nice enough to have three dimensions for flight, and this helpes with traffic. Airplanes usually take notice of any other planes out there once they come within a 5 mile radius. Then slight adjustments are made to determine how to avoid colliosion. Someone goes up a bit, someone down, someone to the right, someone to the left, whatever need be. Usually, just two people on a plane know that you just passed someone, the pilots. Occasionally you can look out the window and get a glance at another plane, but that is usually hard to spot.

So... planes turn and zigzag to make corrections and to stay on path. Economics can be a factor here, even though a straight line might be shorter and faster, if you could ride in the wind, it could save you more...

Answer 3

There are several reasons for a plane not to fly in a straight line between two points, including other air traffic, weather, air traffic corridors, direction of the wind, etc.

Answer 4

commercial aircrafts generally fly published air routes or airways. these are actually highways in the skies and are controlled by various air traffif controllers. this systems makes it safer in the sense that the aircrafts are easily monitored and vertical as well as time separations are maintained.

these airways normally follow radio-beacons e.g. vor's adf's etc & since they are not positioned in straight lines, the airways do not necessarily follow a straight line.

the nearest distance between two points is not a straight line, but the part of an arc in a circle. most international flights follow great circle routes because these are actually the shortest distances.

Answer 5

well this answer goes more complex then the question....there are many factors dat are considered b4 a path is chosen for a plane.air traffic,weather conditions,political interference and so on
basically the airspace is divided into 3 dimensional highways.so attimes planes do need to follow some these regulations....also one must not forget dat earth is not a map as we usually see it...it is a sphere and finding many solutions for shorter distances is possible...for eg:for india to us flights at times for eastern us flights route via europe is preffered because of onroute traffic and also due to favourable flight conditions.at times flying over a land mass ispreffered over flying d sea.

Answer 6

No. Not as a rule. Even in air, there are traffic rules. You can not fly at any altitude and in any direction. All these are prescribed by the traffic controllers. However, an effort is made to allow straight line paths to the extent it is possible.

Answer 7

Flying on planes also depends on the country which it crosses on sky. During war period, indian planes are not allowed to fly above pakistan. Likewise local politics also affect the path taken by the flight, not just physics.

Answer 8

not always.
I have travelled between the USA and UK for the past year and quite often the way the plane goes is more of an arc as it flies north over iceland and the end tip of greenland and then down over canada. It's whatever is the shortest distance and more fuel economical.

Answer 9

i ought to disagree with the esteemed Professor Penfold on in basic terms one small factor. that's accessible, yet I noticeably doubt dark rely is baryonic. The shortest distance between 2 factors is that created by using an area-tearing flop transition experience and is proportionate to the width of the three-brane protecting the stringy boo-boo cases the Planck consistent (?).

Answer 10

There are other planes wanting to fly in straight lines. Plus, there are different air currents to avoid or exploit, so the plane moves for these also.

Im happy when planes avoid one another.