Why is the flight path curved from london- New York ?

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Anonymous

The curvature of the Earth means that if the aircraft takes that trajectory, it will travel less distance, and thus consume less fuel than if if flew in a straight line. That makes it more economically viable for the airlines.

I guess the expression "The shortest distance between two points is a straight line" isn't always true...

crazeygrazey

It's called a Great Circle route. As maps are flat they can't really describe a sphere. If you take some string and place it on a Globe between 2 points, pul it tight you will see that it follows a route that would appear to be curved on a flat map.

Al Zymer

Although I do not have the flight paths to observe, it could be to make use of the trade winds, as sailing ships do, and have done for centuries. The gulf stream crosses the Atlantic from west to east, in a northerly(clockwise)arc. The wind in the other direction crosses back in a southerly arc, so if a plane or sailing ship follows this pattern, it can take advantage of following winds.

sayitasitis

The world is ROUND

Greg D

ya what they said

hunter17hunter17

The World is Round, but the Map you are looking at is flat.

Pleasant Peter Perkins

It is a straight line...it is because of the curvature of the Earth, the velocity of the gravitational adjustment and your susceptability that we don't see it as such.

If you were to see a map by which a so called straight line were to be flown to New York, it would take in Aberdeen, Reykjavik, Reigate, Lisdoonvarna, Christiansound, The Falkland Islands, Alabama and Queens. This of course would make no sense. Who wants a flight path to make no sense???...Not me!!

Say it with me.......Curves!!!!!

Sally P

Oh dear, I thought the flat earth theory had died out, but it wouls appear not.

Paul S

The flight path on a map would look curved but it isnt, it is merely following the curvature of the Earth. This can also be seen on space flights, when we see a map or diagram of the shuttle orbiting the earth. The line appears to be curved but is isnt.

taxed till i die,

The words jet stream springs to mind.

leaseylou79

Its a busy flight path, and it is by far the best way to circum navigate round land in case of emergancy.. Yes it is quicker to fly direct, but tends to be charter flights that take this course rather than scheduled flights. Trust me, if there is need for an emergancy landing - whats better a airfield on land, or in the middle of a choppy, icy Atlantic.

captaincarney

The world is round - well actually a sphere- so the closer you are to the center (the equator), the longer it will take to go straight across. The polar route is used by many transcontinental flights becuase it is shorter and faster that going straight across.
To make it simpler, think of an Orange. The part that is the biggest and longest is the middle, but the north and south parts are much narrower and eventually come up to one central point.

Robert Abuse

Get a globe and put a bit of string on London, then put the other end on New York. It will follow the curve that is depicted on your flat map.

It is a straight line.

EDIT: Why the thumbs down...???
It is right..honest. Try it.
A map is a 2 dimensional depiction of a 3 dimensional shape.
I fly a lot and many years ago I wondered why my flight to Japan from London went over Finland, Novaya Zemlya and Siberia, then it was pointed out to me that it is as near as dammit a straight line.

lady

get yourself a map and then curve it round you will see where new york lies in relation to new york its def not in a straight line.

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