Fly away into the sunset!!

[SkyHog]

So I had a bit of an argument with a friend of mine today. He claims that he had been on an airplane flying from New York to Los Angeles, and that he left just before sunset in New York.

When he arrived in LA, it was still just before sunset. Without calling him a liar, I disputed the idea that a plane could travel that quickly.

My question is......how fast does an airplane need to fly to be able to keep up with the setting sun? It seems to me that it would need to be extremely fast.

 

[EdFred]

So I had a bit of an argument with a friend of mine today. He claims that he had been on an airplane flying from New York to Los Angeles, and that he left just before sunset in New York.

When he arrived in LA, it was still just before sunset. Without calling him a liar, I disputed the idea that a plane could travel that quickly.

My question is......how fast does an airplane need to fly to be able to keep up with the setting sun? It seems to me that it would need to be extremely fast.

about 1040 mph.

25000 miles/24 hours

 

[poadeleted20]

From NY to LA, about 650-700 knots. Remember that the longitude lines are closer together at 40N latitude than at the equator.

 

[mikea]

Been there.

If you leave London at 12 noon, fly for 6 hours and land in Chicago at 12:30 PM, you're basically doing it - your jet goes up into the air and the earth turns under you.

(YeahIknow they can fly an almost polar route. But still)

 

[grattonja]

SR-71 drivers have written about such things. If that gives you some idea of the speed required...

Jim G