Distance Travelled

[joefremont]

Hi Flyers.

A pilot on a support request is asking for us to calculate the' distance travelled in his flights rather than the distance between airports which is what we do now. It might be possible to get close to the distance travelled by using the data recorded in the position log but I was wondering if we were to do this how would the data be used? Is this something that is ever used in real life?

[Cat]

From AOPA as evidence, I see no need for "actual distance travelled" as in flying everything is calculated by hours. This is why I cringe when people say they get XX number of gallons per mile too. Flying is very weather dependent and what may take an hour one day can take much longer the next trip due to winds. But the actual distance needed to traverse between departure and arrival never changed. If you get stuck in a hold for weather or traffic enroute, you will be flying not only longer but "farther" too if you are counting the actual ground track with a distance wheel.