Sarah Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 Just looking at where hubby is right now and noticed the flight path - why do they fly so weird - it's going from Manchester to Philadelphia so surely a straight route to the left would be better? No wonder it takes over 7 hrs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robke Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 A the world is round not flat LOLOL B just in case they run out of fuel or other things they all fly of Greenland and then Canada/USA... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 ahhh hadn't thought of that - A or B haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotTheDogWhisperer Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 It's because it's actually the shortest distance...there's an article about it here: http://www.askthepilot.com/questionanswers/great-circles/ I used to think it was something to do with fuel efficiency...but that's why planes fly higher :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 I just mentioned that odd route on Facebook, lol. I couldn't fathom it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 The earth is a sphere, lol. There is no way to properly put the map of the world on a flat area without some kind of distortion. Google maps lets you put a line between points which really visualises how it actually works. This is the direct route from Manchester to Philadelphia. And this is what it looks like when you put it on the globe, which makes much more sense. So the little diversion he's doing is making his route like this. This diversion only adds 350km to the journey, which is barely anything since it's a total length of 5851km. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 ahh interesting! thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 Thanks Jos. They were laughing at me on Facebook but I was kinda right. It isn't just because the worlds round or else it would be a pure curved pattern like in your top picture. Guessing they are heading around countries for fuel stops or keeping clear from other planes flight paths? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted October 31, 2015 Report Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) It can also be because they're avoiding certain weather patterns, hurricanes or strong headwinds/turbulence for example. The former is self explanatory but flying into headwinds means they consume more fuel than just taking a slightly longer route and avoiding it completely, that and a less turbulent flight etc Edited October 31, 2015 by Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markulous Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Not so very long ago, cross-atlantic planes used to land at Gander in Newfoundland (the curved route flies directly over Newf) to fill their tanks, which was truly just a hut with re-fuelling. We stopped there when travelling to Cuba - as it was with Cubana Airlines (at that time the only airline that flew direct, due to USA embargo), we flew in a Russian Ilyushin which, like all Russian civil aircraft had to be capable of being stripped down for military action and it's range wasn't that great. Only time I've taken note of the safety demonstration as, when it came to emergency oxygen, you'd either get killed by lack of oxygen or the rush to the half dozen oxygen points! None of your fancy dropdown masks! Only time I've been genuinely scared on a plane (and a claim to fame - many years later flew in/out of "the most dangerous airfield in the world") - on the return takeoff in Cuba, we were chased down the runway by a fire engine with flashing lights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulG Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 even Globes are wrong as they are made as perfect Spheres But due to centrafugal forces the earth is shaped more Like an Orange all that Magma spining makes it Bulge in the middle. Another case of this is the English Channel, every one is taught that water will find its own Level, for the most part that is correct but in the channel as you sail away from England towards France your actualy going up hill The shape of the Channel and the Earths Rotation means the water comes around the Corner and rises up higher on the French side. Sea level is between 15 and 30 feet Higher on the French side than on the English. When they dug the Channel Tunnel they had to take the difference of sea level on either side into account. You can see this if you put water in a bucket and spin around the water will tilt and be higher on one side of the bucket than the other. its also why you can spin a bucket of water upside down above your head without getting wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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