Emergency relief - Plane Vector

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the ground speed and direction of an aircraft moving at 200 km/h while experiencing an 80 km/h wind from the northeast. The correct direction of the aircraft is approximately 21.8 degrees northeast, while the calculated ground speed is 215.4 km/h. The discrepancy arises from a conflicting answer in the study material, which states the speed is 154 km/h. The participants conclude that the wind's direction affects the vector addition, confirming that the ground speed cannot be less than the aircraft's speed without opposing wind.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of vector addition in physics
  • Knowledge of trigonometric functions, specifically tangent and square root
  • Familiarity with wind vector analysis
  • Basic principles of aircraft dynamics
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  • Learn about trigonometric calculations in navigation
  • Research the impact of wind direction on flight performance
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Aerospace engineers, pilots, meteorologists, and students studying physics or aviation dynamics will benefit from this discussion.

Sirsh
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As your aircraft moves in a northerly direction at a constant speed of 200 km h-1, it is
buffeted by winds of 80 km h-1 from the north-east.

Question 1 – What is the ground speed and direction of your aircraft while it is
being buffeted (Hit/pounded) by this wind?


Direction = Tan^-1 (80/200) = 21.8Degrees N-E
Speed = squareroot (200^2+80^2) = 215.4kmh^-1

My direction answer is wrong by a mear 0.3degrees, but, my speed answer is wrong. The answer in the text I'm studying out of says that the speed is 154kmh^-1, Except this is unlogical seeing that the wind is hitting the plane going in a north easternly direction therefore making the vector a addition vector (For example to show that the answer cannot be less then 200kmh^-1), it would seem that if the wind was coming southernly then it would slow down the plane.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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if the question u have doesn't say that the wind is from north-east to south-west .. then ur answer is correct .. if it does then the answer in the book is right..
 

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