Bruce From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5025 posts, RR: 17 Posted (8 years 2 months 9 hours ago) and read 2609 times:
I always get them mixed up. Which direction do planes on long haul flights usually need a fuel stop? I want to say eastbound....because I'm thinking there is increased wind and therefore higher fuel burn. But doesnt the prevailing winds flow from west to east? That would give an eastbound a tailwind.
I've seen several flights on the trackers that are able to make long hauls westbound but not eastbound. For example, a flight out of New York can go to HKG non stop but coming back they will probably need a fuel stop. Freighters thatgo between Huntsville and Asia can go westbound non stop but almost always stop in ANC on the way back, with 742's sometimes needing an extra stop.
bruce
Bruce Leibowitz - Jackson, MS (KJAN) - Canon 50D/100-400L IS lens
PolAir From United States of America, joined May 2001, 893 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (8 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 2415 times:
General direction of winds (round a world I think) is from west to east. Therefore, eastbound flights will most likely fly faster (tail wind) and burn less fuel, therefore not requiring to stop. I hope that helps.
Bruce From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5025 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (8 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2396 times:
Well that's what I thought too but there are lots of examples of eastbound flights that require a stop. Are the winds at cruise levels different than here on the ground (opposite direction)?
bruce
Bruce Leibowitz - Jackson, MS (KJAN) - Canon 50D/100-400L IS lens
411A From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1826 posts, RR: 9 Reply 3, posted (8 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2390 times:
Keep in mind that freighter aircraft, when departing westbound from the USA are rather light...ie; not much cargo.
Lighter weights, with jet transport aircraft, result in a much lower hourly fuel burn, headwind or not.
Westbound, from Asia, for example, they are very heavy (lots of cargo) and as a result, a fuel stop might definitely be required, even with a tailwind.
Bruce From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5025 posts, RR: 17 Reply 4, posted (8 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 2368 times:
What about passenger flights. I don't think an A340 can go from Hong Kong to New York? But they do fly from New York to Hong Kong.
Cathay-Pacific flies an A340 from HKG to NY with a stop in YVR.
bruce
Bruce Leibowitz - Jackson, MS (KJAN) - Canon 50D/100-400L IS lens
CitationJet From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 2229 posts, RR: 3 Reply 5, posted (8 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 2350 times:
NYC to HKG is not really a westbound flight. It is more a north-south routing.
Go to Great Circle Mapper http://gc.kls2.com/ and enter JFK-HKG. You will see that the flight goes straight north, near the North pole.
PolAir From United States of America, joined May 2001, 893 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (8 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 2309 times:
Bruce,
I am not an expert, but 90% of time gound speed will be higher eastbound (at higher altitudes). A lot depends if you can catch a jetstream, it will give you hell of a boost, and as far as I know jetstream can head north, east or south but never west ( correct me here).
Like Citation said, HKG-NYC is not really westbound.
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