kallend 2,129 #26 January 28, 2004 You started 500nm south of the latitude where the local latitude line is exactly 500nm in length (or 250, or 500/N where N is an integer). Thus you returned to your original longitude after the 500nm east part of the trip. For N = 1 the base will be somewhere around 580 miles south of the North Pole. You get the longitude by observing the behavior of your magnetic compass. You can use that to find the vector to the magnetic pole from the base. The trip obviously took place in the winter!... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,129 #27 January 28, 2004 Just curious - how DID you navigate on this mission? Inertial platform? GPS?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GARYC24 3 #28 January 28, 2004 The whole flight took place in a simulator? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #29 January 28, 2004 QuoteQuotePaul, has you account been hacked by Spectre230??????? I wonder how many people actually remember that.. That was a long time ago...well over 2 years.. Mike Thems were the good old days Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #30 January 28, 2004 Quote Paul, do you know how much money it costs to change the orbit of a surveillance satellite? Polar orbiting satellites are actually pretty common. No need to change anything except maybe add a date to the orginal story to clarify which hemisphere (December 22 would keep people away from the South Pole) and I probably need to recheck my math. Last night I had stupidly made a small math error in my explanation -- it's been corrected. I also like Kallend's solution to the longitude part of the bonus question, but I'd need to think of some way to work a clue for that into the story. If the pilot flys by mag compass he'd never notice the variation, if he flys by GPS, then he'll know lat/long so it defeats the purpose of the story. Maybe he flys by inertial navigation preset at the base and isn't allowed access to anything but a slaved compass card.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,129 #31 January 28, 2004 Quote*** If the pilot flys by mag compass he'd never notice the variation, If he flies by mag compass he'd take a very peculiar path around the magnetic pole, not to mention that the compass would be almost unreadable due to dip. There's also the ambiguity in latitude to worry about. You could be 40 miles south of the pole and fly around twice (since you can't see anything and the secret base is obviously blacked out, you'd never see it when you overfly on the first circuit).... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #32 January 28, 2004 Okey dokey. John, please go back up to my "improved" version of the story and see if you can poke holes in it. I think it's pretty close to bullet proof now. BTW, did you read my solution and do you agree with my math? I have the base at 579.577 miles south of the north pole. Even if the pilot never notices the magnetic variation between the mag and slaved compass all he'd have to do is fly east or west 579.577 south of the north pole until he finds the base. That would be a total possible search area of 3641.593 straight line miles with a 50% probability of finding it within the first half of that.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #33 January 28, 2004 QuoteI had been flown blindfolded to a secret base. I will not hijack this thread, I will not hijack this thread, I will not hijack this thread, I will not hijack this threadMay your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,129 #34 January 28, 2004 QuoteOkey dokey. John, please go back up to my "improved" version of the story and see if you can poke holes in it. I think it's pretty close to bullet proof now. BTW, did you read my solution and do you agree with my math? I have the base at 579.577 miles south of the north pole. Even if the pilot never notices the magnetic variation between the mag and slaved compass all he'd have to do is fly east or west 579.577 south of the north pole until he finds the base. That would be a total possible search area of 3641.593 straight line miles with a 50% probability of finding it within the first half of that. What if the base is only 539.7885 miles south of the pole? I still don't see that possibility eliminated.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #35 January 28, 2004 Quote What if the base is only 539.7885 miles south of the pole? Damn it! I don't see how you arrived at that number. Again, here's my answer: Quote The base is located ((500/pi).5)+500 miles south of the north pole. quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #36 January 28, 2004 Quote has you account been hacked by Spectre230??????? Spectre230 was captured. As usual, the secretary disavowed any knowledge of his existance.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,129 #37 January 28, 2004 QuoteQuote What if the base is only 539.7885 miles south of the pole? Damn it! I don't see how you arrived at that number. Again, here's my answer: Quote The base is located ((500/pi).5)+500 miles south of the north pole. You flew over the base without seeing it (secret, right, can't see squat according to the givens) after 250nm (closer to the pole) and arrived back at base after 2 trips around the (shorter) latitude line. The base could be 500+(500/2*N*pi) from the pole, where N is any integer.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #38 January 28, 2004 Ok, I get it. (Shit! Harmonics.) Good catch though. Hmmm, now I have to figure out a way to not let that happen.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,129 #39 January 28, 2004 QuoteOk, I get it. (Shit! Harmonics.) Good catch though. Hmmm, now I have to figure out a way to not let that happen. Maybe the base has an ILS and you keep your receiver tuned to its frequency etc etc etc..... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
