Why do planes go so far north?

Planes travel along the shortest route in 3-dimensional space. This route is called a geodesic or great circle. While map projections distort these routes confusing passengers, the great circle path is the shortest path between two far locations. This is why pilots fly polar routes saving time and distance.

Why are flights faster going north?

The polar stream is the stronger of the two, and it causes much faster winds compared to the subtropical. Most airlines on transatlantic and transpacific routes make use of the polar stream while planning flight paths. Jet streams can be as strong as 80 to 140 miles per hour, sometimes going all the way up to 275.

Why do planes not fly over the Pacific?

Most commercial airlines, that operate between East Asia and the Americas, do not fly over the Pacific Ocean because of cost and safety concerns, including turbulent weather, which can be dangerous to fly over.

Why do planes never fly north to south?

The polar regions interfere with magnetic navigational equipment, making it harder for planes to navigate. It can also be difficult for planes to connect with flight controllers because of the location's isolation.

Why do planes not fly over the Atlantic?

Early aircraft engines did not have the reliability needed for the crossing, nor the power to lift the required fuel. There are difficulties navigating over featureless expanses of water for thousands of miles, and the weather, especially in the North Atlantic, is unpredictable.

Why Planes Fly Over The North Pole But Not The South Pole

Why do flights to Japan go over Alaska?

Commercial airlines typically fly a Northern curved route that goes over Canada and Alaska. Therefore, they spend less time over the Pacific Ocean, allowing for emergency landings if needed.

Do pilots sleep on long flights?

The simple answer is yes, pilots do and are allowed to sleep during flight but there are strict rules controlling this practice. Pilots would only normally sleep on long haul flights, although sleep on short haul flights is permitted to avoid the effects of fatigue.

Is flying over the North Pole illegal?

In response to this, the FAA has introduced certain requirements for flying over the North Pole. For one thing, there must be at least two “cold weather anti-exposure suits” on the aircraft. In addition, pilots need to undergo specific training for the routes they take and the weather patterns they are likely to face.

Can you fly over Mount Everest?

Tim Morgan, a commercial pilot writing for Quora says aircraft can fly above 40,000 feet, and hence it is possible to fly over Mount Everest which stands at 29,031.69 feet. However, typical flight routes do not travel above Mount Everest as the mountains create unforgiving weather.

Why do pilots say Roger?

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) officially defines the word "roger" to mean "I have received all of your transmission." For example, a pilot would say "roger" in response to an advisory from Air Traffic Control.

Why does it take longer to fly back from Hawaii?

The reason it took so much longer to fly back is the jet stream, a river of fast-moving air high up in the sky. Jet streams are usually about 100 miles wide. They can be thousands of miles long and are found all over the earth. To be called a jet stream, the wind must be moving faster than 60 mph.

Why don't we fly from Alaska to Russia?

The smaller of these granite islands is American. These islands can be used as a resting point during a crossing of the Bering Strait, however, being in the proximity of Russia's Big Diomede Island will reduce the chance of a successful crossing from Alaska to Russia.

Why is it quicker to fly back from America?

Jet streams are, at their most basic, high-altitude air currents caused by atmospheric heating and the inertia of the earth's rotation—and they're the reason why flights from west to east are faster than the same route traversed in the opposite direction.

What is the longest flight in the world?

The longest flight in the world by distance is New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN) on Singapore Airlines clocking in at 9,537 miles.

Does the Earth's rotation affect planes?

In the frame of reference of the airplane, everything is stationary. Similarly, the airplane is already moving along with the surface of the Earth before it takes off. The rotation of the Earth has no direct significant effect on flight times in either direction.

Has anyone ever flew around the world?

Brief Description. On December 23, 1986, Voyager completed the first nonstop, non-refueled flight around the world.

Who owns the North Pole?

Current international law mandates that no single country owns the North Pole or the region of the Arctic Ocean that surrounds it. The five adjacent countries, Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark (via Greenland), and the United States, are restricted to a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone off their coasts.

Where can planes not fly over?

Why do planes not crash into each other?

Almost all modern large aircraft are fitted with a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), which is designed to try to prevent mid-air collisions. The system, based on the signals from aircraft transponders, alerts pilots if a potential collision with another aircraft is imminent.

Why do planes not fly straight?

The reason for this is that the earth revolves on its axis, forcing the middle to bulge out slightly. The curvature of the earth and its extra equatorial width mean that curving towards the poles is a shorter distance than flying in a straight line.

How long can an airline pilot fly in a day?

Daily. An airline transport pilot can fly up to 8 hours per 24 hour period and up to 10 hours if a second pilot is aboard. Pilots are required to rest a minimum of 16 hours postflight. Some variances to these regulations exist depending on the company's operations specifications.

Do pilots carry guns?

Military pilots, whether they are part of the Air Force, Army, Navy, or Marines, all carry guns. While a standard issue pistol may not be much help way up there in the sky against an enemy plane, if a pilot were to be shot down, they will at least have a way to defend themselves on the ground.

How do female fighter pilots pee?

Pilots put on the cup or pad beneath a special pair of underwear. When it's time to go, the pilot connects the cup or pad with a tube leading to a pump outside the flight suit. The battery-operated pump pulls the urine through the tube to a collection bag, where the pee is stored until the end of the mission.

Do airplanes have secret rooms?

Secret compartments in the back of airplanes have bunks for flight attendants to rest. Cabin-crew rest areas are tight quarters with no windows or forms of entertainment.