A pilot wants to fly on a bearing of 74.9 degrees. By flying due east, he find s that a 42-mph wind, blowin from the south, puts him on course. Find the airspeed and the groundspeed.

Question

Marshall Medina

Physics

31 August, 16:47

A pilot wants to fly on a bearing of 74.9 degrees. By flying due east, he find s that a 42-mph wind, blowin from the south, puts him on course. Find the airspeed and the groundspeed.

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Answers (1)

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Leslie Frank · Answer 1

The bearing shows the angle from north to the line (c), you want to see the angle inside the triangle so that will be 90-[bearing].

a=42 (42 mph wind blowing north)

A = 90-74.9

A = 15.1 degrees

Ground speed is the speed the plane is going including the wind.

ground speed = c

Airspeed = b

You have the angle, and you have the "Opposite" and want to find the "Hypotenuse".

SOH CAH TOA

Sin x = Opp/Hypot

Sin (15.1) = 42/c

c = 42/Sin (15.1)

c = 161.53

Ground speed of the plane is 161.53 mph

Airspeed = b

Tan x = Opp/Adj

Tan (15.1) = 42/b

b = 42/Tan (15.1)

b = 161.53

Airspeed = 161.53 mph

(so the answer is ground speed of 161.53mph)