Flying weather in New York in March

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
On 3/1/2007 10:44:49 PM, "Morgans" wrote:

The weather patterns have moved rather slowly this spring,

Spring? Stated like a true southerner. Spring (as in weather, not
calendar) is still almost two months away for those of us flying out of a
northeastern US airport.

chuckle True.

OK, second half of the winter, then. I guess I am just looking forward to
spring!

When you have massive outbreaks of tornadoes, it sure does sound more like
spring, than winter, down south.
--
Jim in NC

"Peter R." writes:
On 3/1/2007 10:44:49 PM, "Morgans" wrote:

The weather patterns have moved rather slowly this spring,

Spring? Stated like a true southerner. Spring (as in weather, not
calendar) is still almost two months away for those of us flying out of a
northeastern US airport.

We got a nice taste yesterday. 60 degrees, perfectly smooth air and
high ceilings up here in Boston yesterday...

Chris

In a previous article, "Danny Deger" said:
I just made a deal on a Taylorcraft in New York and I live in Houston.

I would like to pick it up and fly it back the 3rd week in March. Is this
two early to attempt such a long flight in a little putt-putt airplane in
the NE USA?

It depends a lot where you are in New York. Here in Rochester, you'll
still need to sit out some days because of lake effect snow.


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
When I hear the history of some of the more ugly European cities, with
"... destroyed in 14xx, burnt in 16xx ..." I get the urge to ask why
they keep rebuilding it and if they can't get the hint.

On Mar 1, 2:47 pm, "Danny Deger" wrote:
I just made a deal on a Taylorcraft in New York and I live in Houston.

I would like to pick it up and fly it back the 3rd week in March. Is this
two early to attempt such a long flight in a little putt-putt airplane in
the NE USA?

How far is it from NY two Houston...?
-----

- gpsman

Before you start planning your route for such a long flight, get a
software that can draw a great circle route between New York and
Houston. You might be surprised that the route isn't exactly what you
had in mind.

There're many times I read stories about people flying their plane
from NY to bay area, California. Their first leg almost always heads
somewhere southwest, because they think San Francisco southwest of NY
so they head southwest to start the trip. Well, the great circle
route from NY to SF starts heading somewhat *northwest* for the first
hundreds of miles, and that route takes almost directly over Cheyenne,
a great route through the Rockies.

When I flew from Seattle to upstate NY last summer, I was surprised
how north my route had to be in order to be close to the great circle
route. I was within 60 miles of Canadian border for the first 800
miles.

If you're an AOPA member, you can download their free flight planner
that can draw great circle routes.


On Mar 1, 11:47 am, "Danny Deger" wrote:
I just made a deal on a Taylorcraft in New York and I live in Houston.

I would like to pick it up and fly it back the 3rd week in March. Is this
two early to attempt such a long flight in a little putt-putt airplane in
the NE USA?

Danny Deger

"M" wrote:

Before you start planning your route for such a long flight, get a
software that can draw a great circle route between New York and
Houston. You might be surprised that the route isn't exactly what you
had in mind.

There're many times I read stories about people flying their plane
from NY to bay area, California. Their first leg almost always heads
somewhere southwest, because they think San Francisco southwest of NY
so they head southwest to start the trip. Well, the great circle
route from NY to SF starts heading somewhat *northwest* for the first
hundreds of miles,

Wow: initial on-course heading from JFK to SFO is 296.

Dan Luke wrote
Wow: initial on-course heading from JFK to SFO is 296.

What fixed compass heading would hold to fly from JFK to SFO (assuming no
wind correction)?

On Mar 3, 3:18 pm, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:

What fixed compass heading would hold to fly from JFK to SFO (assuming no
wind correction)?

Is it a trick math question? It's certain won't be the great circle
route, which has a continuous changing magnetic heading to hold.

Given the difference of magnetic variation between west coast and the
east coast, I'm not certain this can be calculated using a math
formula. Such a magnetic heading can be deduced by a computer
simulation using the brute force method.

"M" wrote in message news:
...
On Mar 3, 3:18 pm, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:

What fixed compass heading would hold to fly from JFK to SFO (assuming no
wind correction)?

Is it a trick math question? It's certain won't be the great circle
route, which has a continuous changing magnetic heading to hold.

Given the difference of magnetic variation between west coast and the
east coast, I'm not certain this can be calculated using a math
formula. Such a magnetic heading can be deduced by a computer
simulation using the brute force method.

This is a very complex mathematical problem, but it could be
solved analytically if a precise description of the earth's magnetic
field were available. To see how involved it gets, look up "affine
connections" in Wikipedia, but that's just the theory!

A numeric solution by successive approximation would yield
an approximate answer. One would calculate an approximation
to the magnetic field using the dashed magnetic variation lines
on the various sectionals & then extrapolate using (say) one-mile
path lengths. Vary the initial magnetic heading from JFK using
Newton's method until you hit SFO with the desired accuracy.

Well, that's what I'd do were I at all interested..!

It's not really a trick question, but I think it's a difficult one.

"M" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 3, 3:18 pm, "Jon Woellhaf" wrote:

What fixed compass heading would hold to fly from JFK to SFO (assuming no
wind correction)?

Is it a trick math question? It's certain won't be the great circle
route, which has a continuous changing magnetic heading to hold.

Given the difference of magnetic variation between west coast and the
east coast, I'm not certain this can be calculated using a math
formula. Such a magnetic heading can be deduced by a computer
simulation using the brute force method.