Why is polar route shorter?

Answer: It is shorter to fly the Great Circle route than a straight line due to the circumference of the earth being so much greater at the equator than near the poles.

Why is the polar route faster?

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 great circle routes are the shortest?

Since the earth is a sphere, the shortest path between two points is expressed by the great circle distance, corresponding to an arc linking two points on a sphere.

Is it shorter to fly over the North Pole?

It's surprisingly faster (by around two hours), and a smoother flight than heading out over the ocean—with the bonus of a rare peek at the high Arctic.

Why don t planes fly straight across the Pacific?

The Pacific Ocean is a massive body of water that will require an extremely large amount of fuel to fly across. Rather than flying directly across the Pacific Ocean, most commercial flights take curved routes because they are actually shorter than shooting straight across a distance.

Why Airplanes Fly On A Curved Path

Why can t you fly from California to Tokyo?

The primary reason airplanes don't fly over the Pacific Ocean is because curved routes are shorter than straight routes. Flat maps are somewhat confusing because the Earth itself isn't flat. Rather, it's spherical. As a result, straight routes don't offer the shortest distance between two locations.

Why do airplanes avoid flying over Pacific Ocean and Mt Everest?

The air is extremely thin in the stratosphere. Oxygen levels will be also low. This will cause air turbulence and uneasiness to the passengers. In addition to this, the force of the wind will be strong and the presence of mountains makes the manoeuvring of the aircraft even more difficult."

Why is it illegal to fly over Antarctica?

Is Antarctica a No-Fly Zone, and Is It Illegal to Fly Over Antarctica? Antarctica is not considered a no-fly zone because it is not illegal to fly over Antarctica. However, there is no reason to fly over Antarctica because it is not in the way to any airports and because it is not an independent country.

Why is no one allowed to fly over Antarctica?

It is not illegal for planes to fly over Antarctica, however, they don't because it is too far from any diversion airports in case there are engine problems. There are few routes for which it would make sense to fly over Antarctica because it is so remote.

Why does Emirates fly over North Pole?

The aircraft type is immaterial. The Emirates flight from Dubai to San Francisco flies a simple Great Circle route over the North Pole because that is the shortest route (8,112 statute miles), requiring 14 hours 45 minutes flying time.

What is the shortest route on the earth surface?

The shortest distance between two points on the Earth's surface is the arc of the great circle passing through them.

Why is the shortest route not always the quickest route?

Special Note re Shortest Route: The shortest route is not always the fastest route. If the shortest route involves driving a highway or major road during rush-hour traffic, it's possible your fleet vehicle could be sitting at a dead stop because of traffic volume.

Why is a great circle shorter than a straight line?

—submitted by reader John, Parrish, Fla. Answer: It is shorter to fly the Great Circle route than a straight line due to the circumference of the earth being so much greater at the equator than near the poles.

Why no flights between Asia and South America?

It's part of efforts to prevent a biological threat, rubber blight, from spreading from South America to Asia.

Do flights to Japan fly over Russia?

ANA and JAL usually use Russian airspace to operate around 60 flights per week between Tokyo and Europe, including Frankfurt, London, Paris and Helsinki.

Why flying from US to Europe is faster?

More specifically, the real answer has to do with a geophysical phenomenon known as jet streams. Jet streams are the reason why planes fly faster across the Atlantic in one way rather than the other.

Is it illegal to fly over Disneyland?

The sky over Disneyland in Anaheim and Walt Disney World in Orlando is "national defense airspace." Intentionally violating Mickey and Minnie's airspace, the alerts warn, could result in interception, interrogation and federal prosecution.

Can planes fly over North Korea?

The US prohibits flights across all North Korean airspace, including the oceanic part of the ZKKP/Pyongyang FIR over the Sea of Japan. Several other countries have airspace warnings in place which advise caution due to the risk posed by unannounced rocket launches.

What happens if you try to fly over Antarctica?

Planes can and do sometimes fly over Antarctica, it is not a no-fly zone and it is not illegal, it is just very impractical to do so. Smaller planes fly lower and have to deal with challenging weather conditions, snow-falls, white-outs and icing problems.

Is there a hidden world under Antarctica?

It was during this climate-driven research that the team of New Zealand scientists, while drilling through the ice and into the river beneath the ice cap, discovered a “hidden world” right under their feet: their camera lens was suddenly crowded with amphipods, small marine crustaceans that resemble shrimp.

Can you go to Antarctica without permission?

Travelers do not need permission to go to Antarctica, but tourism operators must hold a valid permit. First, a bit of background on why it is legal to visit Antarctica. Antarctica is not a country. The continent is protected by the Antarctic Treaty, which preserves it for peaceful and scientific use.

Is Antarctica protected by military?

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by 12 countries and serves to protect Antarctica from destructive operations and war. It designates Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity, ensuring a collaborative effort through science and research among those who inhabit it.

Why can't helicopters fly very high on Everest?

The top of Mount Everest is one-third of the sea level's atmospheric pressure. This level of air pressure is not convenient for helicopters to handle. The oxygen levels at the Everest base camp itself are at a 50% drop. The further up you go, the oxygen levels keep decreasing.

Why do planes not fly over Messi's house?

Messy's house is found in the Gava municipality just a few kilometers outside Barcelona ( 25km). Its also found on the inside of Parque natural Del Garraf an area that is strictly under protection by the Spanish Environmental Legislation because of its endangered species of Flora and fauna.

Can you climb Everest without sherpas?

Climbing Everest without Sherpas

Attempting to climb without the assistance of a Sherpa is impossible from the Nepal side. To cross the Khumbu icefall, you will be charged the icefall doctor's fee. Icefall doctors are Sherpas who mend the ropes and ladders and arrange the pathway across icefall every year.