Circle/math help?

Question

Need a source that has either circles, ellipses, or porabolas in aviation. It's for a project where we apply math to real life. I picked aviation because that's what I'm interested in. If you have any other topic, share it w/ me for a backup incase aviation doesn't work. It could be from atc to the structure of aircraft. Must have source though, thx.

Answer 1

Aviation, it can be, but bits and pieces from here are there.
For circles, it can be the Orbit patterns computed by the FMS and depicted in the displays. The radius is defined by the accepteable rate of turn. The parabola is found in the trajectory of the gravity bombs. LORAN and such hyperbolic navigation systems use hyperbolas. WGS-84 is your answer for ellipses.

PS: As answered below, a Holding Pattern is not exactly oval, rather its more of a racetrack shape. It incorporates two straight legs and two 180 degrees right turns for a standard holding pattern. I'd suggested an orbit earlier because the orbit can be expressed as a single equation while the holding pattern would require a set of equations.

Answer 2

It might be hard to give you a solid connection between aviation and circles, ellipses, and parabolas that would be applicable to your project. If you would be open to other suggestions, I would recommend you look at the orbital motion of satellites and spacecraft.

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/Phys/Class/circles/u6l4b.html

Answer 3

Sometimes when one is doing an instrument approach you have to fly an arc around some point. Holding patterns are ovals. These things are very important so the planes don't run together.

Answer 4

A DME arc is a parabola. A holding pattern is kind of an ellipse.

Answer 5

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

This is the best example that comes to mind, the great circle routes that are flown on long flights...

Answer 6

cistern
(chemical liquid..gaz .oil...etc)
differente shape ..plans...