Aeroplanes and movement of the Earth.?

Question

If a plane was flying from Heathrow to JFK, the current flying time is 7 to 8 hours at approx 5- 600 mph.
Since the Earth rotates west to east at approx 1000mph, could a plane fly to the correct latitude and fly in a holding pattern whilst it waits on JFK to appear over the horizon?
Assuming this could be done, would it speed the route up?

Answer 1

unfortunately not, because the air in the atmosphere is also rotating at the same speed as the earth, if it didn't imagine what would happen everytime you jumped in the air, in 1 sec the earth would move approx 444meters and that would make you a world record long jumper!!!!!!!....... However your idea does has merit as it is how they intend to fly in the future with planes travelling above or in the outer atmosphere therefore allowing them to be above the earth as it rotates, before reentering the atmosphere and landing at their destination.

hope this helps

Answer 2

haha, i like the question. unfortunately it wouldn't work though. in the same way that if you throw a ball vertically in the air, it doesn't fall down x distance from you 'because the earth has moved x distance'. the atmosphere moves at the same rate as earth, it's only air currents that make clouds move and the such. of course, there must be some point where that stops being affected (for example if you threw a ball all the way into space, and it happened to re-enter at the same angle, it would fall at a new position). as far as planes go though, they're still in an atmosphere that moves with the earth. the only reason it can be quicker flying the same route the other way is due to air currents like jetstreams.

Answer 3

Aeroplane is a part of earth. Earth rotates implies the plane also rotates with the speed of earth.

When the plane flies its speed is relative to earth. Even if wind pushes it oppositely or in its direction of motion its speed is with respect to earth.

Viewed from the Sun the plane rotates along with earth and moves relative to earth.

Answer 4

The atmosphere moves with the earth as it turns other wise there would be hurricane force winds at the ground.

Answer 5

"A holding pattern" is usually defined relative to a point on earth. So it'd stay in England.

Answer 6

Is this not a bit like jumping up and down in a lift? You know, you jump to see if when the lift goes down you are a lot higher up? Or is that just me?

Answer 7

Only if you go into orbit and you need to reach escape velocity to do that.

Earth's escape velocity (ignoring air resistance) is about
25000 mph, or 42,200 kph

Answer 8

Whenever you fly, you have to take into account the winds aloft, which are powerful forces all by themselves.