Calculate Distance Between Airports

Haversine Formula:

\[ d = 2 \times R \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\phi}{2}\right) + \cos(\phi_1)\cos(\phi_2)\sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\lambda}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Latitude 1 (φ₁):

degrees

Longitude 1 (λ₁):

degrees

Latitude 2 (φ₂):

degrees

Longitude 2 (λ₂):

degrees

Distance Unit:

Great-circle 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 locations on Earth.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ d = 2 \times R \times \arcsin\left(\sqrt{\sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\phi}{2}\right) + \cos(\phi_1)\cos(\phi_2)\sin^2\left(\frac{\Delta\lambda}{2}\right)}\right) \]

Where:

\( d \) — Great-circle distance
\( R \) — Earth's radius (6371 km)
\( \phi_1, \phi_2 \) — Latitudes of point 1 and 2 in radians
\( \lambda_1, \lambda_2 \) — Longitudes of point 1 and 2 in radians
\( \Delta\phi \) — Difference between latitudes
\( \Delta\lambda \) — Difference between longitudes

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of the Earth, providing the shortest distance between two points on the Earth's surface.

3. Importance of Great-circle Distance

Details: Great-circle distance is crucial for aviation and navigation as it represents the shortest path between two points on a sphere. This is the actual flight path that aircraft follow for maximum fuel efficiency.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter coordinates in decimal degrees format. Latitude ranges from -90° to 90° (negative for Southern hemisphere), longitude ranges from -180° to 180° (negative for Western hemisphere). You can choose between kilometers or miles for the result.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Haversine instead of Euclidean distance?
A: Euclidean distance assumes a flat surface, while Haversine accounts for Earth's curvature, providing accurate results for long distances.

Q2: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: For most practical purposes, it's highly accurate. The formula assumes a perfect sphere, while Earth is slightly ellipsoidal, but the difference is negligible for most applications.

Q3: What's the difference between great-circle and rhumb line?
A: Great-circle is the shortest path, while rhumb line maintains constant bearing. Aircraft use great-circle routes for efficiency.

Q4: Can I use this for very short distances?
A: Yes, but for very short distances (under 1 km), Euclidean distance might be sufficient and simpler to calculate.

Q5: How do I convert coordinates to decimal degrees?
A: Decimal degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600. For example, 40°44'55" = 40 + 44/60 + 55/3600 = 40.7486°.