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an aircraft flying directly north from the equator will that find itself curving toward the east.

Why would this happen?

Angular velocity differences at the Equator and poles or magnetic deviation, either one could cause this effect for different reasons.

I remember it being something to do with the coriolis effect but I can't remember so, I'm not really sure.

thanks, it should be in the case.
i've found sth on the web about the effect

coriolis effect - wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect/

i'm sorry.

the url shoud be:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect

OOO a nice Scania bus in your avatar..... Probably with coachwork from Scotland.

an aircraft flying directly north from the equator will that find itself curving toward the east.

Why would this happen?

I would think this has to do with the rotation of the earth and the fact that the atmosphere will "slip" in relationship to the planet......the aircraft is no longer attached to the planet proper, and is in fact just a "boat" in a moving stream........

Hmmm. I'm thinking Coriolis, because if it's just the atmosphere "slipping" due to inertia, the plane would drift west (the Earth rotates eastward!). But here's a question: Are you talking true north or magnetic north? The magnetic North Pole is a few hundred miles south of the geographic North Pole...

The magnetic North Pole is a few hundred miles south of the geographic North Pole...

But it would be east on one side of the earth and west on the other side.

Ask.com?

It is a question though of which north you are talking about.
True or magnetic?

Ya, a true heading of 360 would lead you straight to the North Pole, where the compass would reverse and lead you straight south. Magnetic heading would lead you to the magnetic North Pole, where the compass would reverse, and you would keep flying north but flying south...

an aircraft flying directly north from the equator will that find itself curving toward the east.

Why would this happen?

Firstly I must say my English is not good  :-/, and hopefully it's understandable. I'm a layman in Physics, actually both aviation and Physics.  ???

These are one of my friend

Ask.com?

It is a question though of which north you are talking about.
True or magnetic?

Right. And if you were west of it, you'd curve east, if you were trying to fly north using only the compass. Not specified in the question, so it remains a possibility.
Could also just be distortion of isogonic (magnetic field) lines; they're not straight, and vary according to location.

[quote]

Firstly I must say my English is not good  :-/, and hopefully it's understandable. I'm a layman in Physics, actually both aviation and Physics.  ???

These are one of my friend