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Experts

Posted: 01 Dec 2012, 14:47
by autogyro
Couple of not so wise statements over on the forum I am banned from.

Perhaps the cam belt drives the turbo too - makes sense.
I looked it up in Wiki - one nautical mile is one minute of arc on the earth's surface.

So a nautical mile is longer on the equator than it is along latitude 52°N-odd. the one that goes through my house. What about an aircraft flying at 50,000 ft.? That would have to get a tramp on.

I bet the guy could draw a pretty picture of both these.

Re: Experts

Posted: 05 Dec 2012, 01:53
by Shrieker
Ah, the intricacies of English literature. I think I'll never get the hang of it, which is a shame...

Re: Experts

Posted: 05 Dec 2012, 02:17
by Pup
autogyro wrote:I looked it up in Wiki - one nautical mile is one minute of arc on the earth's surface.

So a nautical mile is longer on the equator than it is along latitude 52°N-odd. the one that goes through my house. What about an aircraft flying at 50,000 ft.?


Ah, but this is true for imperial measurements, Auto. In the US, miles are measured in feet. So for taller people, who have larger feet, miles are slightly longer. Extrapolate that out to aircraft elevations and the difference becomes significant.

Interestingly, the opposite is true for metric measurements, where the standard unit of length is a bar of platinum in France. Take that bar up to 15k or so, and it will shrink in the colder air - so distances are actually closer. This is all covered under general relativity I believe.

Re: Experts

Posted: 05 Dec 2012, 20:41
by strad
So for taller people, who have larger feet, miles are slightly longer.
WHAT?????? :lol:

Re: Experts

Posted: 05 Dec 2012, 22:55
by Pup
Oh, it's true, strad. Trust me.

Re: Experts

Posted: 05 Dec 2012, 23:12
by strad
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