From: Tom P on
Brownz (Mobile) wrote:
> Is there a website / map that shows what *actual* route BA fly BA0287 from
> LHR - SFO ?
> Just interested in what I'll be flying over !!
>
http://flightaware.com/live/findflight/EGLL/KSFO will show the flight
routes most recently flown. You may need assistance decoding the acribic
route codes. Right now the flights are heading way up over Northern
Canada to avoid the jetstreams and low pressure areas. Alternatively,
doesn't the onboard flight info have a moving map between the movies?
And BTW, for the best view of Greenland and BAffin Island, sit on the RH
side on the flight to SFO. That way, you'll upset the people watching
the movies less when you open the window blind, and not have the sun in
your face.

From: Hatunen on
On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:56:27 +0300, henry999(a)eircom.net (Henry)
wrote:

>Hatunen <hatunen(a)cox.net> wrote:
>
>> if you're interested in the overall route, get a globe and a
>> peice of string and pull the string taut between SFO and LHR.
>> This is he great circle route and the one the pilots will try to
>> approximate as closely as practical.
>
>Or, join the computer age and go to
>
>http://gc.kls2.com/
>
>and let the computer pull the string for you.

I obviously misspoke in another post; the path goes over
southern, not northern, Greenland. It's all white, all looksa
same.

>Keep in mind, though, that the great circle shortest route is rarely the
>actual route flown, due to weather, traffic and geopolitical concerns.

There aren't many geopolitical concerns between SFO and LHR. I
don't believe the flight even passes over Eire.

I've made the flight back and forth about six times and it's
always been the same. The flight seems to be high enough that
weather isn't a big consideration. And there are very few direct
flights from SFO to the UK, so traffic isn't a big consideration
except in the Bay Area and approaching the British Isles.


--
************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatunen(a)cox.net) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
From: Hatunen on
On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:56:36 +0300, henry999(a)eircom.net (Henry)
wrote:

>Hatunen <hatunen(a)cox.net> wrote:
>
>> henry999(a)eircom.net (Henry) wrote:
>>
>> >Keep in mind, though, that the great circle shortest route is rarely the
>> >actual route flown, due to weather, traffic and geopolitical concerns.
>>
>> I've made the flight back and forth about six times and it's
>> always been the same.
>
>It's more likely, in fact, that no two of your six flights back and
>forth between SFO and LHR have ever been exactly 'the same'.

Well, hell, no two things are *exactly* the same. What's your
point here?
>
>Given the speed of the big jets and the great distance involved in such
>a flight, even a minor course correction implemented for whatever reason
>here or there along the route can take the airplane significantly off
>the perfect great circle path, as the flight tracker to which Graham
>Harrison links earlier in this thread clearly shows.

Which is why I said in my first post:

"This is the great circle route and the one the pilots will try
to approximate as closely as practical."

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatunen(a)cox.net) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
From: george on
On Jul 30, 10:00 pm, Tom P <tombn...(a)freenet.dd> wrote:
> Brownz (Mobile) wrote:
> > Is there a website / map that shows what *actual* route BA fly BA0287 from
> > LHR - SFO ?
> > Just interested in what I'll be flying over !!
>
> http://flightaware.com/live/findflight/EGLL/KSFOwill show the flight
> routes most recently flown. You may need assistance decoding the acribic
> route codes.  Right now the flights are heading way up over Northern
> Canada to avoid the jetstreams and low pressure areas. Alternatively,
> doesn't the onboard flight info have a moving map between the movies?
> And BTW, for the best view of Greenland and BAffin Island, sit on the RH
> side on the flight to SFO. That way, you'll upset the people watching
> the movies less when you open the window blind, and not have the sun in
> your face.

The view from the right hand side is certainly the best, that way you
will see all of the Cascade volcanoes if that far west.

It's amazing that people would choose to watch a possibly bad movie
they wouldn't even rent for less than a $1 than look out the window at
the magnificent scenery. People pay hundreds of dollars for flight-
seeing, and here you're given as good for no additional cost!

George
From: george on
On Jul 30, 7:42 pm, "Brownz \(Mobile\)" <someone....(a)microsoft.com>
wrote:
> george wrote:
-----snipped------
> > It was almost enough to get me to give up aisle seats!!!!
>
> Heh, when I fly I've always got to have a window seat, can't stand being
> stuck in an aisle.
>
> Just what I'm used to I suppose.
>
The aisle seat with the legs extended into the aisle beats the other
alternative, chopping off your legs to fit!

George