We know that saying these things will anger the Flat Earthists, but at least it is our duty to prevent the brains that can become the new “Flat Earthists”.
Our world is geoid; that is, it has a form that is flattened from the poles and bulging from the equator. Pilots also fly towards the poles and continue their course on a curved route in order to consume less fuel and a shorter route.
So does this route route always have to be like this?
Of course, it is not always the shortest distance that determines the routes of the planes. During the journey, a different route may be followed and deviations may occur due to various technical or natural reasons.
Routes can also be shaped according to weather conditions or severe turbulence risks. At the same time, the route can be determined according to the airports where landing can be made in case of any danger.
Now let’s explain our question with an example. Let’s say we take a flight from Ankara to Los Angeles, where technical and natural events are the least.
When we try to measure the linear distance between two points on a two-dimensional normal map, we see that it is 13,423 kilometers. Known as the “Rhumb Line”, this line refers to the shortest distance in a straight line between two points.
At first glance, this image misleads people into thinking that this is the shortest linear distance. But actually, to find the shortest distance between two points, we need to consider the tilted surface of the Earth.
To achieve this, we need the “Grand Circle Method”. Using this method, it is seen that the shortest air route between the two cities is on a route of 11,269 kilometers.
You see these two lines on a two-dimensional plane, in the image above. Although the actual shortest distance line in the image appears much longer than the linear distance, it is actually much shorter on Earth.
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