If you’ve ever taken a flight from one continent to another, you’ve surely asked yourself a lot of questions about the route and how emergencies are handled. Let’s shed some light on the subject…
Why do we fly over the North Pole?
First of all, you might wonder why an airplane traveling from Europe to America (or vice versa) heads toward the North Pole before descending South again, when it would seem much more logical to just fly "from right to left"!
Since childhood, we are used to looking at the world in two dimensions on a map, which gives us a distorted view of reality
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| Esempio di rotta da Abu Dhabi a Los Angeles, passando per il Polo Nord |
If you take a globe and connect two points with a string, you’ll realize that the shortest path is very different from what you imagined! This path is called a "Great Circle Track", and it is the route airplanes tend to follow.
Often, the actual route differs slightly from the Great Circle to comply with air traffic rules, avoid bad weather, or take advantage of tailwinds (and avoid headwinds) to optimize flight time and fuel consumption. Every flight is meticulously planned by specialists called "Dispatchers", who combine a mountain of data to plan the best route for that specific day.
How do we stay on track?
We certainly can't rely on a trusty old magnetic compass—which wouldn't work anyway near the Poles! Long-haul aircraft use sophisticated navigation systems (Inertial Navigation) that track the position accurately at all times without needing external signals. We also use multiple GPS units. All this data is fed into the FMS (Flight Management System)—the onboard computer—which follows the route programmed by the pilots before takeoff.
Communication in the Middle of Nowhere
Much of oceanic traffic is self-regulated by standard international rules. Most communication with controllers on the ground happens via a messaging system—much like SMS—transmitted via satellite. If that fails, we use HF Radio, an older but effective long-distance system. In extreme cases, we even have a satellite phone to call any number worldwide.
What if something happens over the ocean?
Airlines flying "in the middle of nowhere" must undergo rigorous checks on their aircraft reliability, crews, and procedures. These planes must have at least two highly reliable engines and extra backup instrumentation.
Once certified, the airline receives EDTO (Extended Diversion Time Operations) authorization. This establishes the maximum time (and distance) the plane is allowed to fly with one engine inoperative before landing. Today, this time ranges from 2 to over 5 hours!
This allows us to fly those direct routes across oceans or ice. The route is planned so that, at any moment, the plane can reach an "alternate airport" within its certified EDTO time. Generally, with an "EDTO 180" certification (3 hours), you can fly a direct route between almost any two points on Earth.
Fire Safety and the Crew
As mentioned in another post, an onboard fire is one of the most serious situations. While the crew is trained to fight fires in the cabin, they cannot access the cargo hold under the floor. Therefore, EDTO-certified aircraft have sophisticated fire suppression systems that, after an initial discharge, continue to release fire-suppressing agents at programmed intervals until the plane lands.
Finally, long-haul flights use "augmented crews". Extra pilots and flight attendants are on board so they can take turns resting. These rest periods usually take place in dedicated areas equipped with bunks (crew rests) or, at the very least, in Business Class seats screened off by a curtain.
DontWorryFlyHappy!