Why Planes Don't Fly Like Birds!
The Hindu Business Line|October 16, 2019
Why don’t aircraft take a direct route to their destinations instead of criss-crossing the skies? The reasons are based on sound logic, explains Ashwini Phadnis
Why Planes Don't Fly Like Birds!

Have you ever wondered why, when talking about the shortest distance between two places, we say, “X km as the crow flies”? Why don’t we say as the plane flies because, after, all both the crow and the plane fly?

The answer is simple. Birds like crows fly straight while planes do not. Ask any pilot why this is so and pat come the answers: “Because birds are smarter” or “birds don’t have engines that can fail”.

But jokes apart, there are many reasons why planes don’t fly following a straight path, some of which are scientific, though all of them are serious for the safety of flights — and covering the longest distance in the shortest possible time for flyers’ convenience and airlines’ bottom lines.

According to Captain PP Singh, Senior Vice-President, JetLite, perhaps the most important reason why planes do not fly straight is wind patterns. “As we fly for the least possible time and not the shortest distance, just like google map does these days for road trips,” wind patterns make a difference, he explains.

Among the other reasons cited by Captain Singh are following a route structure which meets Air Traffic Control (ATC) requirements which is not necessarily a straight line, and airspace availability, as thousands of planes crisscross international skies every hour.

Denne historien er fra October 16, 2019-utgaven av The Hindu Business Line.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 16, 2019-utgaven av The Hindu Business Line.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE HINDU BUSINESS LINESe alt
Covid Presents An Opportunity For India
The Hindu Business Line

Covid Presents An Opportunity For India

India must attract investors exiting China post-Covid. Streamlining of project clearances and relaxation in FRBM norms will help

time-read
4 mins  |
April 29, 2020
Did Alternative Assets Shield You From Covid-19 Volatility?
The Hindu Business Line

Did Alternative Assets Shield You From Covid-19 Volatility?

The assets closely linked to stock and debt markets could not stave off the losses

time-read
4 mins  |
April 29, 2020
How To Put Aircraft To Bed
The Hindu Business Line

How To Put Aircraft To Bed

Preserving grounded planes, to get them up and flying at short notice, is a challenging task. Ashwini Phadnis captures the process

time-read
5 mins  |
April 29, 2020
There Can Be No Going Back On WFH
The Hindu Business Line

There Can Be No Going Back On WFH

Covid-19 has fast-forwarded the shift to ‘work from home’. However, some face-to-face connect will always be needed

time-read
5 mins  |
April 29, 2020
UN, WHO Urged To Ensure ‘Benefit Sharing' Of Covid-Related Data
The Hindu Business Line

UN, WHO Urged To Ensure ‘Benefit Sharing' Of Covid-Related Data

Biopharma firms should reach vaccines, medicines to poor nations at an affordable price, say civil society bodies

time-read
2 mins  |
April 29, 2020
With No Clear Signal From Rlys, States Explore Ways To Bring Back Migrants
The Hindu Business Line

With No Clear Signal From Rlys, States Explore Ways To Bring Back Migrants

Quarantine centres, cross-country buses being arranged even as migrants hop on to boats, trucks and ambulances

time-read
2 mins  |
April 28, 2020
Centre Allows All Neighbourhood Shops To Open But With Riders
The Hindu Business Line

Centre Allows All Neighbourhood Shops To Open But With Riders

Final call will be taken by local authorities; shopping complexes that draw fewer ‘outsiders’ are permitted to operate

time-read
2 mins  |
April 28, 2020
Covid Impact Relatively Muted In India
The Hindu Business Line

Covid Impact Relatively Muted In India

Compared to Italy and the US, India’s rate of infection spread has been slow. This can be attributed to the strict measures in place

time-read
4 mins  |
April 28, 2020
How Global Trade Will Fare Post-Covid
The Hindu Business Line

How Global Trade Will Fare Post-Covid

China isn’t likely to lose its pre-eminent position soon. India, for one, will need to make manufacturing globally competitive

time-read
4 mins  |
April 28, 2020
How To Curb Harassment In The Virtual Office
The Hindu Business Line

How To Curb Harassment In The Virtual Office

Training and sensitisation are essential. Institute a strict dress code and chat etiquette to ensure professionalism during video calls

time-read
3 mins  |
April 28, 2020