Why are airplane routes curved and not straight?
Why are airplane routes curved and not straight?
Airplane routes appear curved on a map because they follow the curvature of the Earth, meaning they fly along a “great circle” route which is the shortest distance between two points on a sphere, not a straight line as it would appear on a flat map; this is the most efficient way to travel between destinations considering the Earth’s spherical shape.
Key points about curved airplane routes:
- Earth’s curvature:
The primary reason is that the Earth is not flat, so a straight line on a map would not actually be the shortest distance between two points on the globe.
- Great circle routes:
Airplanes fly along “great circle routes” which are the shortest paths between two points on a sphere, appearing as curves on a flat map.
- Fuel efficiency:
Following a great circle route helps to minimize flight time and fuel consumption.
Other factors influencing flight paths:
- Jet streams:Pilots often use jet streams, high-altitude winds that can significantly speed up travel, which may cause the flight path to deviate from a perfectly straight line.
- Air traffic control:Flight paths are also adjusted to avoid congested airspace and coordinate with other aircraft.
- Weather conditions:Pilots may alter their route to avoid severe weather.
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