Speed problem again...need your help?

Question

An airplane traveled from Katuba to Nabi a distance of 3000 km. Against the wind, the trip took 6 hours. The return trip with the benefit of the wind was 5 hours. What was the wind speed in kilometers per hour? What was the speed of the plane in still air?

Answer 1

Actually, Thom is very close. Any time you do a head wind tail wind calculation, it will always take you longer than if there were no wind, due to the slight variation in the average time it takes you to go TO your destination, and the time it takes FROM. For example, If you assume you had 297 knot average ground speed and multiply that by the 11 hours of flying, that equals 3267 nautical miles, or 28 more miles, not the actual distance of 3239.74. So in that 11 hours, the average speed must be less than 297 kts, and/or the average wind would have been more, than 27 knots.

I remember doing this on the E6B flight computer.

Answer 2

If I've figured it correctly, and converted correctly:

3,000 Kilometers = 1,619.87 Nautical Miles

Into the Wind:
1,619.87 Miles divided by 6 hours = 270 Kts Ground Speed

With the Wind:
1,619.87 Miles divided by 5 hours = 324 Kts Ground Speed

Assuming Wind Speed to be the average of the difference:
324 kts minus 270 kts equals 54 kts, divided by 2 equals 27 knots windspeed.

Spped of the plane in still air would then be 297 knots.

Answer 3

plane's air speed going to Nabi is:

3000/6 = 500Kmph

plane's air speed on return trip it:

3000 / 5 = 600 kmph

average speed both directions is 600+500 /2 = 550 kmph

since wind slows it up one direction the wind factor concels out
ground speed will be 550kmph

wind speed will be 50kmph

Answer 4

Uh. Seems maybe knowing the winds before the flight would be more reasonable. How much fuel to put on and such you see.