why is velocity more important than speed for a pilot?

Question

why is velocity more important than speed for a pilot?

using scientific terms?

Answer 1

A pilot needs to know both direction and speed. Velocity is a vector quantity specifying both direction and speed.

Answer 2

Agree with Jstro. Just knowing that you're flying 450 mph doesn't mean anything if you don't also know what direction you're flying. For all you know you're headed 450 mph STRAIGHT DOWN! Velocity would tell you that if you took off from Phoenix at 500 mph headed due east (magnitude and direction) and flew for 3.5 hours you'd be in Atlanta. Whereas speed would tell you that if you took off at 500 mph (magnitude only) and flew for 3.5 hours you'd be 1750 miles from Phoenix. And that's it. MIght be America, might be Mexico, might be the Pacific ocean. How useful is that to a pilot?

Answer 3

Velocity is a relative thing between the plane and a specific point. . The velocity of a plane heading from chicago to towards detroit is a STRAIGHT LINE which is useful to the pilot. So it is relative to a specific point from the airplane itself t in this case to Detroit