*

Offline timterroo

  • *
  • Posts: 1052
  • domo arigato gozaimashita
    • View Profile
Airplane flights
« on: August 02, 2018, 04:41:55 PM »
I continuously hear the argument that airplanes do not angle their noses down to compensate for a curvature in the earth. Someone even took a level into an airplane and demonstrated that the plane always remained level, and never had to nose-down for the curvature. This is used as definitive proof that the earth is flat.

I disagree with the notion that this is proof of a flat earth.

If you attach an object to a string and spin it around in circles, the object will remain the same distance from the end of the string the entire way around as long as you spin it with constant force. For a moment, let's assume the earth is round and gravity is a real force. In a RE model, the force of gravity is constant (9.8m/s squared). As an airplane flies around the earth and the pilot flies level, the force of gravity would keep the airplane the same distance from the ground without any manual intervention by the pilot. Gravity would pull the airplane around the curve just as the string pulls the attached object around in circles.

Alas, a pilot does not have to fly downward to compensate for earth's curvature, gravity does this for him/her.

"noche te ipsum"

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."  - Albert Einstein

*

Offline Pete Svarrior

  • e
  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 16073
  • (◕˽ ◕ ✿)
    • View Profile
Re: Airplane flights
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2018, 04:47:03 PM »
I continuously hear the argument that airplanes do not angle their noses down to compensate for a curvature in the earth.
I don't think many people here would support that idea. I did see people make claims along those lines on Twitter and Youtube, but I'm not entirely convinced all of them are serious.
Read the FAQ before asking your question - chances are we already addressed it.
Follow the Flat Earth Society on Twitter and Facebook!

If we are not speculating then we must assume

Re: Airplane flights
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2018, 04:47:31 PM »
If you aren't aware of him, check out youtuber Wolfie6020. He is a pilot, an Australian, and an excellent empirical investigator. He has several videos dedicated to the question of gyros and whether or not pilots need to "tip their noses". Here is one:

Edit: to agree with Pete, you will mostly see these claims on youtube. As far as I can tell, those claims are (at least sometimes) sincere, but it's impossible to be certain.

*

Offline Pete Svarrior

  • e
  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 16073
  • (◕˽ ◕ ✿)
    • View Profile
Re: Airplane flights
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2018, 04:54:45 PM »
Upon reflection it was in poor form of me to question their sincerity. In any case, I do doubt you'll find many people with those convictions in this society.
Read the FAQ before asking your question - chances are we already addressed it.
Follow the Flat Earth Society on Twitter and Facebook!

If we are not speculating then we must assume

*

Offline timterroo

  • *
  • Posts: 1052
  • domo arigato gozaimashita
    • View Profile
Re: Airplane flights
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2018, 05:09:42 PM »
Yes, I saw this claim on a youtube documentary called "Planet Flat Earth | 2018 Nature Documentary II". They were sincere. I am glad to know this view isn't shared across the whole FE community as empirical evidence.

"noche te ipsum"

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."  - Albert Einstein