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The takeoff speed of a military aircraft from an aircraft carrier is approximately 115.0 mi/hr relative to the air. they acquire this speed through a combination of a catapult system present on the aircraft carrier and the aircraft's jet propulsion system. a common strategy is to head the carrier and the plane into the wind. if a plane is taking off from an aircraft carrier which is moving at 38.0 mi/hr into a 17.0 mi/hr headwind, then what speed relative to the deck of the aircraft carrier must it obtain to takeoff?

User Evil Andy
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Final answer:

The aircraft must achieve a speed of 60.0 mi/hr relative to the deck of the aircraft carrier to take off, after accounting for both the carrier's movement at 38.0 mi/hr and the 17.0 mi/hr headwind.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the speed a military aircraft must obtain relative to the deck of an aircraft carrier for takeoff, we must consider the effects of the carrier's movement and the wind. The aircraft's takeoff speed relative to the air is 115.0 mi/hr. When moving into a headwind, the relative speed provided by the wind contributes to the aircraft's takeoff speed. Therefore, the relative deck speed needed for takeoff can be found by subtracting the carrier's speed and the headwind speed from the takeoff speed relative to the air.

Calculating this gives: Relative deck speed = Takeoff speed relative to air - Carrier's speed - Headwind speed = 115.0 mi/hr - 38.0 mi/hr - 17.0 mi/hr = 60.0 mi/hr.

Therefore, the aircraft must reach a speed of 60.0 mi/hr relative to the deck in order to successfully take off, considering the carrier's forward motion and the headwind.

User Daniel Arechiga
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