Air Flight Distance Calculator

Haversine Formula:

\[ Distance = 2 \times R \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin²(\Delta lat/2) + \cos(lat1)\cos(lat2)\sin²(\Delta lon/2)}\right) \]

Latitude 1:

degrees

Longitude 1:

degrees

Latitude 2:

degrees

Longitude 2:

degrees

Distance:

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1. What is the Haversine Formula?

The Haversine formula calculates the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere given their longitudes and latitudes. It's particularly useful for calculating distances between airports and other geographical points on Earth.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ Distance = 2 \times R \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin²(\Delta lat/2) + \cos(lat1)\cos(lat2)\sin²(\Delta lon/2)}\right) \]

Where:

\( R \) — Earth's radius (6371 km)
\( lat1, lat2 \) — Latitude coordinates in degrees
\( lon1, lon2 \) — Longitude coordinates in degrees
\( \Delta lat \) — Difference in latitude (radians)
\( \Delta lon \) — Difference in longitude (radians)

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of the Earth, providing the shortest distance between two points (great-circle distance).

3. Importance of Great-circle Distance

Details: Great-circle distance represents the shortest path between two points on a sphere, making it essential for flight planning, navigation, and geographical calculations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees. Latitude ranges from -90° to 90°, longitude from -180° to 180°. Positive values for North/East, negative for South/West.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the difference between great-circle and rhumb line distance?
A: Great-circle is the shortest path on a sphere, while rhumb line maintains constant bearing. Great-circle is shorter but requires course changes.

Q2: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: Very accurate for most practical purposes, assuming a spherical Earth. For extreme precision, ellipsoidal models like Vincenty's formulae are used.

Q3: Can I use this for any two points on Earth?
A: Yes, as long as you have valid latitude and longitude coordinates within the specified ranges.

Q4: Why is Earth's radius 6371 km?
A: This is the mean radius of Earth. The actual radius varies from 6357 km at poles to 6378 km at equator.

Q5: How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
A: Decimal degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600. For example, 45°30'00" = 45 + 30/60 + 0/3600 = 45.5°.