Table of Contents
Why are westward flights longer?
The reason it took so much longer to fly back is the jet stream, a river of fast-moving air high up in the sky. Jet streams generally blow from the west to the east around the Earth, often following a meandering, curved path just like a river on land.
Does the rotation of the earth affect the flight time of airplanes?
In the frame of reference of the airplane, everything is stationary. Similarly, the airplane is already moving along with the surface of the Earth before it takes off. The rotation of the Earth has no direct significant effect on flight times in either direction.
What is the best way to get to the US from Australia?
From the west coast of Australia, there are no direct flights, because the flight time is just too long, and so the only way to get to the US is to go to the east coast first, or to fly via Singapore,…
How long does it take to fly from Australia to USA?
These have a 15-16 hour flight time, which is about the maximum range for a long haul passenger jet. From the west coast of Australia, there are no direct flights, because the flight time is just too long, and so the only way to get to the US is to go to the east coast first, or to fly via Singapore, Hon…
Do airlines fly in both directions in Australia?
They can and do fly in both directions. A few years ago I flew from San Francisco, California across the pacific to Sydney, Australia. The flight was 14.5 hours. According to Google there are now direct flights to Sydney from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas. One can also go direct from Vancouver, Canada.
Why do most flights from the US operate to Australia via Europe?
One of the reasons most flights from the US operate to Australia via Europe is probably because there are more people travelling from the US to Europe or Asia compared to people who are flying out to Australia. People who want to do that would obviously use the direct flights to Australia from the US west coast.