Ok! We're learning how to factor in wind to an airplanes flight plan. I understand (finally) how to find it in a corrected situation.

In a non-corrected situation I'm not so sure. Could someone shed some light on this problem.. (test tommorow)

 

Airplane going 500 MPH on a bearing of 260 degrees encounters a 40 MPH wind blowing from 225 degrees. What is the new ground speed needed in order to get to his destination?

Originally posted by stiles

Ok! We're learning how to factor in wind to an airplanes flight plan. I understand (finally) how to find it in a corrected situation.

In a non-corrected situation I'm not so sure. Could someone shed some light on this problem.. (test tommorow)

 

Airplane going 500 MPH on a bearing of 260 degrees encounters a 40 MPH wind blowing from 225 degrees. What is the new ground speed needed in order to get to his destination?

 

Draw both vectors relative to the origin; and mark the angles from the (+) independent axis.

 

ground velocity Velocity someone sees on the ground = air velocity Velocity seen at the cockpit + wind velocity Velocity of the wind.

 

Do a little trig; & Voila!

 

Does that help?

So itd just be 540 MPH?

Wow, no wonder you couldn't understand my article.

Well what I really want is help because this is not in the book.. if 540 is right just tell me gosh. anyways, what article are you talkin about? I hope you dont mean that screenname essay. you're right i didnt understand why you would calculate something so incredibly pointless. You act like the mathetmatics for that are difficult or something.

They were sure above your head, since you obviously don't understand the basic trigonometry in your question

 

Why don't you start by drawing a picture of the vectors and their resulting vector.

All I need to know is if the ground speed is simply 500 mph + 40 mph. I know how to solve triangles with law of sine and cosine to get the bearing.

bah, no fluid dynamics

All I need to know is if the ground speed is simply 500 mph + 40 mph.

That would be the case if the plane was flying straight into the wind but it's flying into the wind at an angle. You just have to draw a triangle as you would to find the bearing, but use it to find the ground speed instead.

if you can't do it, just tell the teacher that the physics of the example is completely incorrect. the wind would only apply a force in some direction which the plane would then have to overcome, directionally of course, in addition to the force required to say, maintain it's altitude and velocity. Furthermore with an additional wind speed towards the plane (or with some vector towards the plane) it would generate extra lift, picking the plane up to a higher altitude where the force yould be less.

 

of course this is being entirely pedentic other people are giving useful answers though

Airplane going 310 MPH on a bearing of 225 degrees encounters a 45 MPH wind blowing from 220 degrees. What is the new air speed and bearing needed in order to get to his destination?

 

I calculated 354.85 MPH for the speed and 224.4 degrees bearing. Could someone confirm these answers to be either correct or incorrect??