26) “Quoting “Heaven and Earth”
by Gabrielle Henriet, “If flying had been invented at the time of Copernicus,
there is no doubt that he would have soon realized that his contention
regarding the rotation of the earth was wrong, on account of the relation
existing between the speed of an aircraft and that of the earth’s rotation. If
the earth rotates, as it is said, at 1,000 miles an hour, and a plane flies in
the same direction at only 500 miles, it is obvious that its place of
destination will be farther removed every minute. On the other hand, if flying
took place in the direction opposite to that of the rotation, a distance of
1,500 miles would be covered in one hour, instead of 500, since the speed of
the rotation is to be added to that of the plane. It could also be pointed out
that such a flying speed of 1,000 miles an hour, which is supposed to be that
of the earth’s rotation, has recently been achieved, so that an aircraft flying
at this rate in the same direction as that of the rotation could not cover any
ground at all. It would remain suspended in mid-air over the spot from which it
took off, since both speeds are equal.””
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