Flying With A Crosswind

Use graphics.py. It is a simple graphics library. Click HERE for more information. (download, install, documentation, ...)

Project #1:

Create an interactive program that plots an airplane's path from from airport A to B (see assumptions).

At takeoff from airport A the airplane is pointed directly at airport B. It maintains this heading for 10 minutes and then modifies the heading (if necessary) to again point at airport B. This continues until reaching airport B.

Plot the airplane's location every 10 minutes when the pilot changes the heading (or some other reasonable time to make the plot pretty).

What was the total travel time with the crosswind?

What was the total travel distance with the crosswind?

What is the travel time without the crosswind?

Assumptions:

Project #2

Modify Project #1. Create a interactive program that allows the user to vary:

Project #3

Definition: crab angle or weather cock angle is the angle a pilot turns the airplane into the wind to nullify the effect of a crosswind.

Modify Project #2. What would the airplane's crab angle need to be to have it travel directly from airport A to airport B? How long will it take to get there?

Diagrams

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For a description of a generalized solution HERE

For some math hints click HERE

Links

ATSC 113 Weather for Sailing, Flying & Snow Sports

Cardinal direction (Wikipedia)