1. Why does it take less time to fly eastwards than westwards for the same distance?
2. Why are transatlantic flights often diverted northwards to near Iceland or Greenland, instead of flying directly?
2006-12-10 17:43:01 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
Jet streams.
In case of re-fueling.
2006-12-10 17:46:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
1. The jet streams generally blow east so flights in that direction get a tail wind.
2. Why are transatlantic flights often diverted northwards to near Iceland or Greenland, instead of flying directly?
Actually the flights are along great circle arcs of the globe. This is the shortest path between the two destinations. Remember, the shortest distance between two points in the world will usually NOT be a straight line on a flat map. If this explanation still seems unconvincing, take a globe and a piece of string. Hold one end on one city in North American and the other end on a city in Europe and pull it taught. That will give you the shortest distance between the two cities. You will also notice that the string follows a path that often goes northward near Iceland or Greenland.
2006-12-11 03:38:01 · answer #2 · answered by Northstar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. The jet stream flows from east to west so that flights eastward are quicker than those going westward.
2. It is shorter to fly in a semi-circle than simply a straight-line. It is true on America to Europe flights you can see Greenland and Iceland out the left window.
2006-12-11 03:37:53 · answer #3 · answered by r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It only seems like less time because of the time zones.
Flights are directed towards Greenland and Iceland because to go north and then turn south again is actually shorter than to flight strait East.
2006-12-11 01:47:27 · answer #4 · answered by trollwzrd 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Remember the earth rotates. As you face east if you where to hover in space the ground would slide in your favor, where as if you face west the you lose ground.
Remember the earth is a sphere, draw a string over a globe and see for youself if it is shorter to go out and around or curve up and over. (Up and over is shorter BTY). Maps are written flat so this tends to throw people off.
2006-12-11 01:55:18 · answer #5 · answered by Carl P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I Think you got your answers with all the explanations you need. Thank you
2006-12-11 04:28:00 · answer #6 · answered by babu 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋