On 2008-04-25, WingFlaps wrote:
On Apr 25, 10:45*pm, Stefan wrote:
WingFlaps schrieb:
explained what you meant when you wrote: "Now we add in the energy
losses from having to accelerate with the wind."

Yes, I did. I'll explain it one last time. A direction change in a
plane is always due to acceleration (and that means more drag).

But that's got nothing to do with "having to accelerate with the wind",
that's merely the energy cost of making the turn, which will be the same
whether there's no wind on the ground, or if it's blowing 20 knots.
You're not having to "accelerate with the wind", you're just making a
turn and the energy used up in the turn will be the same whether you're
going from upwind to downwind or downwind to upwind.

Perhaps your original phrase was just a little mis-phrased, because it
does make it look like you've fallen for the "dangerous downwind turn"
myth.

--
From the sunny Isle of Man.
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