Takeoff Distance Variables:

Mach Number:

1. Formula: Mach Number = Aircraft Speed/Speed of Sound (dependent on altitude)
2. Example: Aircraft is flying at 30,000′ Speed of sound at 30,000′ = 589.4 knots. The airspeed is 489.3 knots.
3. Calculate: 489.3/589.5 = 0.83 Mach.

The primary factors most affected by performance are the takeoff and landing distance, rate of climb, ceiling, payload, range, speed, maneuverability, stability, and fuel economy.

• Gross Weight: As gross weight increases, the difference between nose-wheel lift-off and takeoff speed decreases.
• Center of Gravity:
• Nose Strut:
• Power Settings:
• Flight Profile Flown:
• Outside Air Temperature:
• Field Elevation/Density Altitude:
• Surface Winds:

Air density affects the thrust, lift and drag forces in the following way: – low air density gives reduced thrust created by the engines; – low air density requires higher takeoff speed. The lift is proportional to the air density. Crosswind component has no effect on the takeoff distance.

High air temperatures affect the physics of how aircraft fly, meaning aircraft takeoff performance can be impaired on hot days. The amount of lift that an airplane wing generates is affected by the density of the air. The lower the air density, the faster an airplane must travel to produce enough lift to take off.

So why do planes perform better in cold weather? Simply, colder air is denser than warmer air, which contributes to engine performance and air lift. That extra power increases the rate of climb, reduces take off roll, gives the wings more lift, and allows the plane to take off at a lower ground speed.

“Jet fuel begins to gel in extreme conditions and does eventually freeze, typically at minus 40 or so, although additives can be included that reduce that further,” says Haines. “Aircraft at cruising altitude will often experience temperatures of minus 50 to minus 70 F for hours on end.”

As long as the inside of the aircraft is kept warm enough, planes can take off and land in temperatures as low as minus 67 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s often not much warmer than that outside your window at altitude. If you’ve ever put your hand on the wall or window when you’re flying, you’ll note that it’s cold, sure.

As a short answer, yes flying in the dark at night is inherently safe as perfect safety cannot be achieved. That being said, pilots are trained for flying in the dark and use many of the same tools and instruments utilized during daytime operations.

Every plane has a different maximum operating temperature, depending on the weight, body and engines of the aircraft. For the Boeing 737, anything above 54 degrees Celsius (129.2 Fahrenheit) is a no-go.

Hotter air is less dense than cooler air, so a wing produces less lift. This is compounded by reduced engine output. Jet engines don’t like low-density air either, and don’t perform as well in hot weather. Together, this means higher takeoff and landing speeds — which, in turn, increases the amount of required runway.

To fly in high heat, planes must create more power and have larger wings. At Dubai International Airport and other Gulf airports many flights arrive late at night and early in the morning when it is cooler. Gulf airlines also often use larger planes that are not as affected by high heat.

US Federal Aviation Authority records suggest that, at best, one in four stowaways survives. Others die or fall in transit; some are crushed when the mechanised landing gear retracts into the wheel well; most survivors suffer severe hypothermia or frostbite, often losing limbs.

Why are the airplanes flying so low over my house? Aircraft are limited in the direction they fly because they must land into the wind. Therefore, the flexibility of air traffic is dependant on the wind patterns of the day or, even, the hour, as winds can change rapidly.

FAA recommends general aviation aircraft to stay below 5,000 ft at night time. But one of my friends claimed the reason why we are supposed to fly at a lower altitude to prevent from hypoxia is that at night there is higher pressure near the ground which makes fewer air molecules at high altitude at night than daytime.

500 feet

Helicopters generally have no issues flying in rain. Rain does not affect the thrust created by the blades needed for takeoff. However, rain can impact the visibility for the pilot substantially. It is up to the pilot to determine whether or not it is safe to fly.

It is a police helicopter involved in a chase. It is about to land at a location and the pilot is doing a high orbit and then a low orbit to scope at the landing zone. It is a news helicopter and there is something newsworthy that it is filming, so the pilot is circling to keep the camera on the event.