Calculating Flight Direction and Time with Wind Factors

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the flight direction and time for a pilot flying from Denver to Chicago, considering wind factors. The airplane has an airspeed of 450 mi/h, while a jet stream of 280 mi/h from the southeast affects the flight path. The required compass heading is determined to be 10.78 degrees south of west, resulting in a resultant velocity of 269.31 mi/h. The total flight time to cover the 1150-mile distance is calculated to be 4 hours, 16 minutes, and 12 seconds.

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  • Basic principles of flight dynamics and navigation
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anshu
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An airplane pilot flies a plane that has an air speed of 450 mi/H. She needs to fly from Denver to Chicago, which lies on a line 1150 miles long at an angle of 25 degrees north of east (measured from Denver.) A constant jet stream of 280 mi/H is coming from the southeast (ie, along the 45 degree line between south and east.) Determine the compass heading that she must use in order to get to Chicago in a straight line, and determine the flight time needed to make the trip.

me and my friends have tried just about everything we know, we tried to assume that the final speed was 450 but that idea was shot down. I really am clueless some help would be much appriciated
thanks in advance
 
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Hope this helps

Hi Anshu. Drawing a diagram, the situation ends up looking like this:-
Wind(velocity vector):- 280cos 45 i + 280 sin45 j
Plane (velocity vector):- 450 cos x i + 450 sin x j
Path to be taken(displacement vector):- 1150 miles & 25 degrees north of east
so we have total knowledge of the wind vector, but only know the size of the Plane(direction not known) and we know the resultant direction needed, but do not know the resultant speed.
applying sine rule twice we get that the direction of travel which is 10.78 degrees south of west. (while writing as components x = 190.78)
using that in :-
(450 cos x i + 450 sin x j) + (280cos 45 i + 280 sin45 j) = R cos 155 i + R sin 155 j

direction of travel of the plane is 10.78 degrees south of west.
we get R(resultant velocity) = 269.31 mi/h
therefore, time taken = 4 hours 16 minutes 12 seconds.

Hey a diagram would make this situation seem a lot simpler. :-p
If u would like to see the diagram i used, Plz answer the following:-
How the hell do i load a attachment? :confused:
Ive tried drawing it in paint, but the file size comes otu too large :cry:
 
thanks, didnt know the law of sines, but being able to check answers was helpful thanks again
 

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