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SQ 21 and Full Moon

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Old Jun 13, 2004, 11:49 am
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Question SQ 21 and Full Moon

Am I correct in thinking that the best time to fly SQ 21 from EWR to SIN is when there's a full moon, preferably during the winter solstice? Would there be much moonlight flying August 30? Full moon but I am worried about the hours of moonlight in the northern latitudes.

The above is all predicated on SQ 21 actually being a polar flight! If all it does is take a short cut across the Yukon, won't matter too much.
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Old Jun 14, 2004, 2:05 pm
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Originally Posted by SAtransplant
Am I correct in thinking that the best time to fly SQ 21 from EWR to SIN is when there's a full moon, preferably during the winter solstice? Would there be much moonlight flying August 30? Full moon but I am worried about the hours of moonlight in the northern latitudes.

The above is all predicated on SQ 21 actually being a polar flight! If all it does is take a short cut across the Yukon, won't matter too much.
"Best" depends on whether you actually like darkness or bightness. If SQ 21 flies over the pole on Aug 31, remember that it is the summer and the north pole is illuminated by the sun around the clock! If SQ 21 flies south of the arctic circle, and if you like illumination, by all means time your flight with the full moon.

The Winter Solstice only arrives on or about December 21 each year, but the polar night begins much earlier than that.

Last edited by Buster CT1K; Jun 14, 2004 at 2:11 pm
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Old Jun 14, 2004, 2:43 pm
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It is about as close to a "polar" flight as you can get.

Routing of Flight from SIN to EWR
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Old Jun 14, 2004, 3:15 pm
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I would be surprised if it flies on the great circle routing though.
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Old Jun 14, 2004, 3:16 pm
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The actual route taken is different in each direction and stays well away from the north pole in order to take advantage of prevailing eastbound winds in each direction.
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Old Jun 14, 2004, 4:19 pm
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If` taking advantage of upper level winds, does this mean that EWR-SIN will fly across Greenland heading east and the return flight SIN-EWR overfly Alaska or regions adjacent, making the return trip a shortened RTW jaunt?
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Old Jun 15, 2004, 11:56 am
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Originally Posted by zvezda
The actual route taken is different in each direction and stays well away from the north pole in order to take advantage of prevailing eastbound winds in each direction.
I doubt this. Do you have any proof? Any citations? There are few "eastbound winds" near the northpole.
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Old Jun 15, 2004, 12:24 pm
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There are four polar routes ("tracks"). None fly directly over the North Pole, although Polar 2 comes very close.

There are minimal winds in the polar regions, which is an attractive proposition for the airlines and allows longer-range flights due to dimished fuel burns.

The SQ flights between SIN and EWR are certainly trans-polar flights along one of the four tracks established by ATC in accord with ICAO agreements and regulations. Depending on winds aloft, the decison may be made to short-cut around the polar route using a traditional route, but that will not be the norm at all.

For a chart of the polar tracks, see: Polar Flight Tracks
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Old Jun 15, 2004, 2:03 pm
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EWR->SIN probably will use one of the fixed "polar routes".

SIN->EWR definitely will fly further south across the Pacific to catch the tailwind, despite a slightly longer route. CO's HKG-EWR flight does that, and so does the graphics given on SQ's website.
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Old Jun 15, 2004, 7:55 pm
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It it fly across the pole in the dark, can you see the polar light (Aurora)?
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Old Jun 15, 2004, 8:11 pm
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You dont need to fly that close to the pole to see the aurora - eg LAX-LHR/FRA/etc is possible depending on conditions.
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Old Jun 16, 2004, 10:46 pm
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Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
You dont need to fly that close to the pole to see the aurora - eg LAX-LHR/FRA/etc is possible depending on conditions.
And also across mid-Alaska on NRT-JFK.
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Old Jun 17, 2004, 12:58 am
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Flight path of SQ21/22 in the A345Leadership brochure
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