Question

A plane flies at 350 mph in the direction N 40° E with a wind blowing at 40 mph in the direction S 70° E. What is the plane’s drift angle?

Answer 1

Answer:

The drift angle is approximately 7.65° towards the East from the plane's heading

Step-by-step explanation:

The speed of the plane = 350 mph

The direction in which the plane flies N 40° E = 50° counterclockwise from the eastern direction

The speed of the wind = 40 mph

The direction of the wind = S 70° E = 20° clockwise from the eastern direction

The component velocities of the plane are;

$R_{Plane}$ = (350 × cos 50)·i + (350 × sin 50)·j

$R_{Wind}$ = (40 + cos 20)·i - (40 × sin 40)·j

The resultant speed of the plane = $R_{Plane}$ + $R_{Wind}$ = 265.915·i +242.404·j

The direction the plane is heading = tan⁻¹(242.404/265.915) ≈ 42.35°

Therefore, the drift angle = Actual Angle - Direction of the plane = 50 - 42.35 ≈ 7.65° towards the East

Answer 2

Answer: A. 5.89

Step-by-step explanation:

edge2020