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People are baffled why world's longest flight doesn't travel in a straight line
Virgin Radio UK ^ | 11-11-2022 | Virgin Radio

Posted on 11/12/2022 12:51:46 AM PST by Saije

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To: Jonty30
What is the difference between a mile and a mile squared?

Please tell me you aren't THAT stupid!

Let's use 3 miles. What is 32? 9
Curve Drop= 8"(9) = 72" = 6'

Three miles, not squared, is still just 3 miles.

61 posted on 11/12/2022 3:50:01 AM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Saije

Gravity actually bends space itself which is how the Universe managed to smile at us.

62 posted on 11/12/2022 3:50:29 AM PST by Nateman (If Mohammad was not the Anti Christ he definitely comes in as a Strong second..)
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To: philman_36

Now I understand the application of what you said.

Thanks.
Not all of us are aviators or have been in Airforce.


63 posted on 11/12/2022 3:53:04 AM PST by Jonty30 (Some men want to see the world burn. It is they that want you to buy an electric car.)
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To: Wilhelm Tell

Pretty sure it is a joke, but the flat earthers are real too. We had one here on the FR being very active. Always very polite, but mad as a hatter.


64 posted on 11/12/2022 3:53:18 AM PST by Krosan
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To: Rockingham

Correct. A flat map is a false representation, literally called a “projection”, of the earth. The earth is actually a globe. If you took a globe map of the earth and stretched a string between these two points it would be a straight line.


65 posted on 11/12/2022 3:56:19 AM PST by Locomotive Breath
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To: Telepathic Intruder
Wrong again.
Nope, you even say as much...

It just happens to be that 8" per mile squared is a good approximation using small distances.

It's a good approximation for ANY distance.

Earth Curvature Calculator

1 mile0.00013 miles = 0.67 feet
2 miles0.00051 miles = 2.67 feet
5 miles0.00316 miles = 16.67 feet
10 miles0.01263 miles = 66.69 feet
20 miles0.05052 miles = 266.75 feet
50 miles0.31575 miles = 1667.17 feet
100 miles1.26296 miles = 6668.41 feet
200 miles5.05102 miles = 26669.37 feet
500 miles31.5336 miles = 166497.53 feet
1000 miles125.632 miles = 663337.65 feet

66 posted on 11/12/2022 3:56:22 AM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Krosan

Yeah, on rare occasions I have spoken with a flat earther. It’s a cult. The “1931” was a nice touch.


67 posted on 11/12/2022 3:59:28 AM PST by Wilhelm Tell (True or False? This is not a tag line.)
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To: philman_36
"It's a good approximation for ANY distance."

For NEARLY any distance, as long as it's smaller than the earth's radius itself. I'm nit picking, of course.
68 posted on 11/12/2022 4:01:19 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: deks

Always dress warm for those North Pole crossing!


69 posted on 11/12/2022 4:03:44 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: Krosan

that was hysterical, thanks for the morning laugh!!! :)


70 posted on 11/12/2022 4:09:32 AM PST by Dad was my hero (Liberalism, the belief that you can pick up a turd by its clean end.)
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To: 21twelve
Drive up a road into the mountains where you can see the horizon.

Is the horizon at eye level?

Drive out to the beach and look out at the horizon.

Is the horizon at eye level?

How is that possible on a sphere?

Do you EVER look DOWN to the horizon or does the horizon ALWAYS rise to eye level no matter the height?

Line of sight of the "observer", parallel to the ground and perpendicular at 90, not downward.

Do you see what is wrong with that image?

71 posted on 11/12/2022 4:09:52 AM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: momincombatboots

It’s best not to ‘think’ about it, but, rather, ‘do’ something. Next time you’re near a globe, take a piece of string, and stretch it between New York and Singapore. You will actually see the route.


72 posted on 11/12/2022 4:12:00 AM PST by norwaypinesavage (Capitalism is what happens when you leave people alone.)
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To: Saije

Great circle route is shortest distance between two points on a ball. If memory serves me right


73 posted on 11/12/2022 4:12:00 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: Saije

They fly great circle routes. The author of this article, and the TikTok folks, are blithering idiots.


74 posted on 11/12/2022 4:14:10 AM PST by dinodino ( )
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To: Telepathic Intruder
Great Circle charts are a lot of fun. Draw a straight line between origin and destination, then plot lats and lons derived from the GC along the way on your normal charts to achieve your great circle.

Of course, if you are just using your GPS chart plotter, as most are, this is an automatic function.

75 posted on 11/12/2022 4:15:40 AM PST by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: All
Derivation and definition of a linear aircraft model

A linear aircraft model for a rigid aircraft of constant mass flying over a flat, nonrotating earth is derived and defined. The derivation makes no assumptions of reference trajectory or vehicle symmetry. The linear system equations are derived and evaluated along a general trajectory and include both aircraft dynamics and observation variables.

That link is right...https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19890005752

76 posted on 11/12/2022 4:17:45 AM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: Travis McGee

I don’t go anywhere anymore that would make my origin and destination look anything other than flat. The earth might as well be, since it won’t affect my navigation.


77 posted on 11/12/2022 4:21:01 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: sit-rep

It is due to the Gulf Stream. I’ve been flying back and forth for years to Japan and it makes little difference if the destination/point of origin is LAX, SFO, SEA, ORD, MSP . . . they all follow the Aleutians over the Pacific.


78 posted on 11/12/2022 4:22:50 AM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

I sailed solo from Panama to Hawaii to Guam in the late 1990s.

Interesting factoid: on the Panama-Hawaii voyage, when you are directly south of San Diego, you are already halfway to Hawaii.


79 posted on 11/12/2022 4:27:57 AM PST by Travis McGee (EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Saije

How do you expect to make it the world’s longest flight if you fly in a straight line?


80 posted on 11/12/2022 4:32:06 AM PST by sipow
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