Flying around the world.

[Spec]

Explain something to me.

The earth takes 24 hours to make a full rotation.

Then why does it take 21 hours to fly from montreal to taiwan!?

I'm sure I dont need to explain this.

Spec.

[Richelieu]

Rotational velocity at equator = 465.11 m/s.

[Eli]

The aircraft rotates together with the earth.

[Richelieu]

That's what i'm saying. I'm assuming Spec meant that the plane would just have to get up in the air and it would somehow lose it's acquired/rotational speed. Add that to the speed he gets from the motors and he should get there faster.

Maybe that's not what he meant.

[Spec]

Originally posted by Richelieu
Rotational velocity at equator = 465.11 m/s.

Well, if you think about it, the plane is moving at that speed to automaticly, plus the speed its travelling at...right?

My question is, instead of flying the same direction the earth is spinning, why not fly the other way? Logicaly, it should take a lot less time right?

Spec.

[Jon Miller]

JM

[Eli]

Indeed.

[Eli]

My question is, instead of flying the same direction the earth is spinning, why not fly the other way? Logicaly, it should take a lot less time right?

The aircraft rotates together with the earth. Which means that as far as the aircraft is concerned, the earth doesn't move at all.

[Lorizael]

What you want to do, Spec, is get in a spaceship, go up in orbit, apply a whole bunch of thrust in the opposite direction to get rid of your rotational who ha, wait a bit, and then drop back down.

[Spec]

Originally posted by Eli
The aircraft rotates together with the earth. Which means that as far as the aircraft is concerned, the earth doesn't move at all.

hence the:

Originally posted by Spec
Well, if you think about it, the plane is moving at that speed to automaticly, plus the speed its travelling at...right?

So, my question is: Why dont they fly in the north pole, wouldn't it be faster?

@JM : Not because I have problems explaining myself in english that you have to laugh about it. I dont laugh at you for being a geeky virgin with no life.

Spec.

[Lorizael]

Spec, stand on a train that's not moving. Walk sideways. Then walk sideways when the train is moving. Do you go faster?

[Spec]

if the track goes in a circle...sure...


Maybe I am really off it but, the diameter of a circle is shorter than half the circumference of a circle. So why not take the shortest way?

Spec.

[Richelieu]

I could have made some money on this.

[Lorizael]

But how do the dimensions of a circle translate into the sphere(oid) that is the Earth? Because we're certainly not going through its diameter...

[Ramo]

This is the greatest thread ever.