Space, GPS & MapsGeography
Why Flights Curve
The shortest route looks bent on a flat map
Fly London to Los Angeles and your plane heads north-west, toward Greenland. But LA is south of London. Is the pilot lost?
You'll find out
- Why the straight line is the long way
- What a tight string on a globe reveals
- Why some routes cut across the Arctic
Why it matters
Flying the curve saves airlines time and fuel on every long flight. Once you get it, flight maps finally make sense.
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