The Coriolis Effect
Instructions: You are a brand new pilot, and frankly, you’re not very good. Although you know how to set a flight plan, you haven’t learned how to make course corrections in flight. So in order to land safely on an aircraft carrier, you must aim at the right spot from the beginning, since you can only fly in a straight line. Because the earth is rotating, to plot a safe course, you must allow for the Coriolis Effect.
Your mission is to make good landings on the ship no matter where it is stationed. Watch the animation below as different navigational scenarios are played out. By the end, you will see how the Coriolis effect can make flying to a target much more complex.
Note: This animation shows the Coriolis Effect in the Northern Hemisphere. Click on the image to see the Coriolis effect in the Southern Hemisphere.
Related Links
Multimedia Discovery Missions: Lesson 8 - Ocean Currents
