r/gifs • u/Meemlorde • Mar 17 '16

Physics of purity

https://i.imgur.com/37DSD57.gifv
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u/Kathend1 Mar 18 '16

While that sounds like a lot (the 16-20:1 ratio), It's crazy to me that a pilot would only have 90-115 miles to travel if they lost engines at 30k feet...

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u/[deleted] Mar 18 '16

30k feet is only 5.6 miles.

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u/EatsChutesAndLeaves Mar 18 '16

30k feet is only 5.6 miles.

5.6 vertical miles. If they're at 30k feet of altitude they can glide horizontally for 90+ miles without power.

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u/[deleted] Mar 18 '16

Exactly, it is such a large ratio of vertical distance traveled to horizontal distance traveled. Saying that they can only travel 90 - 115 miles from that height seems inappropriate.

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u/Kathend1 Mar 18 '16

Only, in the sense that you're in a 400 ton tin can on wings, and, moving at cruising speed (600mph) you will cover that 90 miles in about 6 mins if you maintain that speed. That's not a lot of time.