Table of Contents
Do pilots have to account for the rotation of the Earth?
Unfortunately, the air that the aeroplane is travelling through is also rotating. You don’t have to take any special account for the fact that that the Earth is rotating because you’re being carried with that medium. This is because there is friction between the air in the atmosphere and the ground below.
How does Earth’s rotation and revolution affect pilots?
First, as the Earth itself rotates, it takes the air with it (thanks, gravity!). That includes the air through which planes fly. At the equator, the Earth spins about twice as fast as a commercial jet can fly. That rate slows the closer you get to the poles, but regardless, it’s always going to be faster than a plane.
How are airplanes affected by the Coriolis effect?
Anything traveling long distances, like air currents, ocean currents pushed by air, and airplanes, will all be deflected because of the Coriolis Effect!
What is the pilot telling us about the four forces?
The pilot is telling us that the four forces on the airplane are now balanced, the thrust equals the drag and the lift equals the weight. The pilot balanced the four forces at an altitude of 32,000 feet and the plane will continue to fly at that altitude at a constant speed until the forces become unbalanced.
Do pilots adjust the flight path for the curvature of the Earth?
So the answer to the first part of your question is, yes, pilots do adjust the aircraft’s flight path to allow for the curvature of the Earth, and this is how they do it. There is no explicit “adjustment for curvature” term in the pilots’ (or autopilots’) calculations, however,…
What does the pilot mean when he says the thrust equals?
(Include what is happening with the four forces on the airplane). The pilot is telling us that the four forces on the airplane are now balanced, the thrust equals the drag and the lift equals the weight.
What are the forces acting on an airplane called?
Define force. Force is a push or pull in a specific direction. What are the four forces acting on an airplane? The four forces acting on an airplane are lift, weight, drag, and thrust. How do each of the four forces act on an airplane in flight?