Weather forecasting.

Well, you know, airplanes tend to weigh more than air... You should know that, being a pilot and all. Airplanes don't get blown about like rag dolls as much as balloons.

Well, you know, airplanes tend to weigh more than air...

So do balloons.

How do they float? Airplanes don't float like balloons do, in case you were wondering.

When they are filled with their gas of choice, they become very buoyant. 

Airplanes don't float like balloons!?!  Iz every1 taking crazy pillz?!!?

Well airplanes have to be moving to stay aloft.

Well airplanes have to be moving to stay aloft.

Correction, airfoils need to be moving relative to a fluid in order to generate lift.  A helicopter is an airplane that can 'hover'.  Hell, I've seen a plane flying into a strong wind.  It wasn't moving relative to the Earth, but it was generating enough lift to stay up.

Correction, airfoils need to be moving relative to a fluid in order to generate lift.  A helicopter is an airplane that can 'hover'.  Hell, I've seen a plane flying into a strong wind.  It wasn't moving relative to the Earth, but it was generating enough lift to stay up.

I've been in that situation with my wife.  We were on a cross country flight with a 125 mph head wind.  We were not making any ground and I was scared to death we were going to run out of fuel before we could make it to an airport.

Talking to you makes me want to take flying lessens =(

I've got a bunch more harrowing tales to share.

I'm sure. Not why don't you tell me how meteorologists can predict the path of hurricanes without satellites.

That has been posted over and over.  You not wanting to accept what is given to you is not my problem.

What's been given to me is that weather balloons are used by meteorologists.

What's been given to me is that weather balloons are used by meteorologists.

Correct.

But they cannot replace satellites.

But they cannot replace satellites.

Based on what I've pasted, what would they need to replace?

Hmmm... Getting data on clouds, humidity, pressure zones, fronts, green house gases (UV exposure, volcanoes, etc...), flood zones, polar ice caps and sea levels to name a few. I don't see how a non controllable weather balloon can proved hemisphere wide coverage at only 60,000 feet, in real-time 24/7. Especially since you would need to launch a fleet of new ones every other week.

Says who?

Says who?

Says logic.

Says logic X2

Hmmm... Getting data on clouds, humidity, pressure zones, fronts, green house gases (UV exposure, volcanoes, etc...), flood zones, polar ice caps and sea levels to name a few. I don't see how a non controllable weather balloon can proved hemisphere wide coverage at only 60,000 feet, in real-time 24/7. Especially since you would need to launch a fleet of new ones every other week.

"Modern radiosondes measure or calculate the following variables:

    * Pressure
    * Altitude
    * Geographical position (Latitude/Longitude)
    * Temperature
    * Relative humidity
    * Wind speed and direction"

"The maximum altitude to which the balloon ascends is determined by the diameter and thickness of the balloon. Balloon sizes can range from 150 grams to 3000 grams. As the balloon ascends through the atmosphere, the pressure decreases, causing the balloon to expand. Eventually, the balloon will expand to the extent that its skin will break, terminating the ascent. An 800 gram balloon will burst at about 30,000 meters (about 100,000 feet)."

"A rocketsonde, a kind of sounding rocket, is a system for atmospheric observations that consists of a rocket that launches instruments that can make weather observations up to an altitude of 250,000 ft (76,200 m).

A typical rocket is 12 feet (3.7 m) tall and is powered by a 4 inch (10 cm) diameter solid rocket engine. The rocket engine separates at an altitude of 5000 ft (1525 m) and the rest of the rocketsonde coasts to apogee (highest point). This can be set to an altitude of 65,000 ft (19,800 m) to 370,000 ft (112,775 m).

The meteorological instruments record data on temperature, moisture, wind speed and direction, wind shear, atmospheric pressure, and air density. Position data (altitude and latitude/longitude) may also be recorded."

As for flood zones, ice caps and sea levels, there are other methods for those.

1) That isn't 24/7 coverage.
2) Balloons and rockets only provide local data.

And satellites...don't?

Quote from: CommonCents on July 13, 2007, 12:52:09 PM

Correction, airfoils need to be moving relative to a fluid in order to generate lift.  A helicopter is an airplane that can 'hover'.  Hell, I've seen a plane flying into a strong wind.  It wasn't moving relative to the Earth, but it was generating enough lift to stay up.

I've been in that situation with my wife.  We were on a cross country flight with a 125 mph head wind.  We were not making any ground and I was scared to death we were going to run out of fuel before we could make it to an airport.

Then just before you crashed, NASA Agent assassinated you.

1) That isn't 24/7 coverage.
2) Balloons and rockets only provide local data.

I am not an expert in meteorology; however, the young man “Divito” has provided some very good information regarding radiosondes and their capabilities.

Quote from: TheEngineer on July 13, 2007, 01:18:05 PM

Quote from: CommonCents on July 13, 2007, 12:52:09 PM

Correction, airfoils need to be moving relative to a fluid in order to generate lift.  A helicopter is an airplane that can 'hover'.  Hell, I've seen a plane flying into a strong wind.  It wasn't moving relative to the Earth, but it was generating enough lift to stay up.

I've been in that situation with my wife.  We were on a cross country flight with a 125 mph head wind.  We were not making any ground and I was scared to death we were going to run out of fuel before we could make it to an airport.

Then just before you crashed, NASA Agent assassinated you.

I didn't crash.  I landed at my destination airport just fine.

And satellites...don't?

Depends on the altitude of the satellite. 

Quote from: TheEngineer on July 15, 2007, 10:39:40 AM

And satellites...don't?

Depends on the altitude of the satellite. 

Are you saying that one satellite at a very high altitude can give data on the whole world?  Sounds like FE talk to me...

Wow, you don't know anything about space flight do you. A satellite in geostationary orbit can stay over a fixed point on earth indefinitely. There is plenty of room up there for more than ONE satellite.

Wow, you don't know anything about space flight do you. A satellite in geostationary orbit can stay over a fixed point on earth indefinitely. There is plenty of room up there for more than ONE satellite.

Wow, learn to read.

Are you saying that one satellite at a very high altitude can give data on the whole world?  Sounds like FE talk to me...

Quote from: rentacow on July 15, 2007, 04:30:32 PM

Wow, you don't know anything about space flight do you. A satellite in geostationary orbit can stay over a fixed point on earth indefinitely. There is plenty of room up there for more than ONE satellite.

Wow, I can read just fine, so STFU.