Is it faster to go against the Earth rotation?

At the equator, the Earth spins about twice as fast as a commercial jet can fly. That rate slows the closer you get to the poles, but regardless, it’s always going to be faster than a plane.

Why can’t a plane fly slowly and let the Earth pass underneath?

The reason an airplane can’t just idle and let the ground pass underneath is the same reason as why a ball dropped from a tall tower lands at the base of the tower and not next to it. In order to fly east, the plane increases its speed relative to the surface of the Earth and begins to overtake it.

What happens when a helicopter hovers over water?

When one watches a helicopter hovering over the water, the spray churned up by the rotor wash looks spectacular. If the wind is below 15 knots, the helicopter is out of translational lift – the speed at which the blades act as a “solid” disc and generate 10 – 15\% more lift.

Do Chinook helicopters float?

The Boeing made CH-47 Chinook can float on the water for a minimum of 30 minutes, even with the engines turned off.

Do helicopters have pontoons?

Fitted floats In 1941, Igor Sikorsky fitted utility floats (also called pontoons) to the Vought-Sikorsky VS-300, making the first practical amphibious helicopter. Pontoons can be filled with air or they can be utilized for storage of fuel or supplies. In 1949, Sikorsky produced the H-5H with both wheels and pontoons.

Are flights faster going east or west?

Airlines quickly realized the value of jet streams and started implementing them while planning routes. Since the jet streams flow from the west to east, they make one leg of the journey much faster (when flying with the stream) and one slower (against the stream).

Does a Plane travel faster going east or west?

Jet streams are, at their most basic, high-altitude air currents caused by atmospheric heating and the inertia of the earth’s rotation—and they’re the reason why flights from west to east are faster than the same route traversed in the opposite direction.