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Doesn't this sort-of imply that they could do the same thing the other way also? Or are they already doing that by catching the polar jetstream at the top of t
by msandford 10y ago
Doesn't this sort-of imply that they could do the same thing the other way also? Or are they already doing that by catching the polar jetstream at the top of the polar route?
- tantalor 10y agoThe wind goes the other way that way.
- tempestn 10y agoAnd so would the plane. That's why it's longer, so the Polar route is generally preferred.
- lucaspiller 10y agoLast year a flight from JFK - LHR made a record crossing of 5 hours and 16 minutes by taking advantage of the jetstream: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11337617/Jet-stream-blasts-BA-plane-across-Atlantic-in-record-time.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1... I'd assume it's not worth it from SFO though, as the polar route is so much shorter.
- United857 10y agoI fly SFO-LHR often. Sometimes the flights do actually take a southerly route (overflying New York) to take advantage of the wind. It's all a tradeoff of increased distance vs increased speed, depending on wind patterns on that day.
- goatforce5 10y agoI was on a BOS-LHR flight once that picked up a good tailwind and we arrived well ahead of schedule, only to sit in a holding pattern for 30-ish minutes so we could land after the airport noise restrictions were loosened at 6am. Super frustrating to fly over your house repeatedly when all you want to do is get home!