Flight Training - April 2012 - 23
TECH TIP
How far is that horizon in the window?
Some basic formulas reveal the answer
THERE IS SOMETHING beautiful about a formula. It doesn’t matter if the formula is on our E6B, the inner workings of a Garmin G1000, or in the head of Stephen Hawking—there is a clarity in math about the way the universe works that is both elegant and profound. Sometimes it’s simply fun. Perhaps not strangely, mathematics can answer a more poetic question. “How far away is the horizon? How much earth can I see?” The math is pretty simple. D = 112.88 km √ (h). Or, distance equals 112.88 km times the square root of the height of the observer, expressed in kilometers. If 1,000 feet equals 0.3048 kilometers, and the square root of 0.3048 is approximately 0.552, then distance = 112.88 times 0.552, or distance = 62.309 kilometers, which equals 204,425.8530 feet. Or, to put it simply, if you’re 1,000 feet above the ground, the horizon is 38.71 miles away. • At 2,000 feet agl the horizon is 54.76 miles. • At 4,000 feet agl the horizon is 77.44 miles. • At 8,000 feet agl the horizon is 109.517 miles.
BY W. SCOTT OLSEN
But what is the total landscape in view? Pi times the radius squared is the area of a circle. If, at 2,000 feet agl, the radius is 54.76 miles, then the total area of the circle around me is 9,415.78 square miles. On a clear day, if I am at 4,000 feet agl, a simple turn around a point will bring 18,830.43 square miles into view. Clearly, this information is useless for flying. It’s just the reason we fly.
I
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Flight Training - April 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - April 2012
Flight Training - April 2012
President’s Perspective
Right Seat
Letters
A Golden View
How it Works
Success Story Member Products
After the Checkride
News
Since You Asked
ASI News
Final Exam
News
AOPA Action
Tech Tip
Flying Carpet
MASTER CLASS
CONFIDENCE IN THE CLOUDS
TECHNIQUE
Weather
Accident Report
Flight Lesson
If You Haven't Yet Already...
Career Advisor
Tech Talk
Strawberry Field of Dreams
A Time to Learn
It's a 'Check' List
Advertiser Index
Debrief
Flight Training - April 2012 - Flight Training - April 2012
Flight Training - April 2012 - Cover2
Flight Training - April 2012 - 1
Flight Training - April 2012 - 2
Flight Training - April 2012 - 3
Flight Training - April 2012 - President’s Perspective
Flight Training - April 2012 - 5
Flight Training - April 2012 - Right Seat
Flight Training - April 2012 - 7
Flight Training - April 2012 - 8
Flight Training - April 2012 - Letters
Flight Training - April 2012 - A Golden View
Flight Training - April 2012 - 11
Flight Training - April 2012 - How it Works
Flight Training - April 2012 - Success Story Member Products
Flight Training - April 2012 - After the Checkride
Flight Training - April 2012 - News
Flight Training - April 2012 - Since You Asked
Flight Training - April 2012 - 17
Flight Training - April 2012 - ASI News
Flight Training - April 2012 - 19
Flight Training - April 2012 - Final Exam
Flight Training - April 2012 - News
Flight Training - April 2012 - AOPA Action
Flight Training - April 2012 - Tech Tip
Flight Training - April 2012 - Flying Carpet
Flight Training - April 2012 - 25
Flight Training - April 2012 - 26
Flight Training - April 2012 - 27
Flight Training - April 2012 - MASTER CLASS
Flight Training - April 2012 - 29
Flight Training - April 2012 - 30
Flight Training - April 2012 - 31
Flight Training - April 2012 - 32
Flight Training - April 2012 - 33
Flight Training - April 2012 - CONFIDENCE IN THE CLOUDS
Flight Training - April 2012 - 35
Flight Training - April 2012 - 36
Flight Training - April 2012 - 37
Flight Training - April 2012 - TECHNIQUE
Flight Training - April 2012 - 39
Flight Training - April 2012 - Weather
Flight Training - April 2012 - 41
Flight Training - April 2012 - 42
Flight Training - April 2012 - Accident Report
Flight Training - April 2012 - Flight Lesson
Flight Training - April 2012 - If You Haven't Yet Already...
Flight Training - April 2012 - Career Advisor
Flight Training - April 2012 - 47
Flight Training - April 2012 - Tech Talk
Flight Training - April 2012 - Strawberry Field of Dreams
Flight Training - April 2012 - A Time to Learn
Flight Training - April 2012 - It's a 'Check' List
Flight Training - April 2012 - Advertiser Index
Flight Training - April 2012 - 53
Flight Training - April 2012 - 54
Flight Training - April 2012 - 55
Flight Training - April 2012 - Debrief
Flight Training - April 2012 - Cover3
Flight Training - April 2012 - Cover4
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