{
  "id": 6603,
  "title": "Ascent (and Descent) models question",
  "url": "/competitions/flight2-main/discussion/6603",
  "author_name": "",
  "post_date": "2013-12-15T18:42:33.687Z",
  "votes": null,
  "comment_count": 1,
  "views": 1528,
  "content": "<p>I've been looking at the ascent and descent models and I have to confess I find them more than a little baffling. &nbsp;Here are a couple of questions. &nbsp;If anyone has any insight they want to share I would be curious to here it. My questions refer to the ascent model specifically but I'm guessing that they are also relevant to the descent model.</p>\n<p>a) What is the purpose of the function calculateTime(altitude a, weight w)? It returns a time in hours. But what does this mean. &nbsp;altitude and weight suggest variables which correspond to an instant in time while the return values an interval. &nbsp;What is the meaning of the return value? &nbsp;Later it's used as the denominator in calculation of a derivative so it seems it's really something like the time required to climb one foot at altitude a feet for aircraft currently weighing w pounds. &nbsp;But that's just a guess.</p>\n<p>b) similar question for the function calculateFuel(altitude a, weight w).</p>\n<p>Robert Ramey</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>",
  "messages": [
    {
      "id": "36190",
      "postDate": "12/15/2013 18:42:33",
      "content": "<p>I've been looking at the ascent and descent models and I have to confess I find them more than a little baffling. &nbsp;Here are a couple of questions. &nbsp;If anyone has any insight they want to share I would be curious to here it. My questions refer to the ascent model specifically but I'm guessing that they are also relevant to the descent model.</p>\n<p>a) What is the purpose of the function calculateTime(altitude a, weight w)? It returns a time in hours. But what does this mean. &nbsp;altitude and weight suggest variables which correspond to an instant in time while the return values an interval. &nbsp;What is the meaning of the return value? &nbsp;Later it's used as the denominator in calculation of a derivative so it seems it's really something like the time required to climb one foot at altitude a feet for aircraft currently weighing w pounds. &nbsp;But that's just a guess.</p>\n<p>b) similar question for the function calculateFuel(altitude a, weight w).</p>\n<p>Robert Ramey</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>",
      "rawMarkdown": "",
      "votes": null
    },
    {
      "id": "36191",
      "postDate": "12/15/2013 18:47:25",
      "content": "<p>Follow up. I'm also curious about the function&nbsp;calculateTimeFuelDistance(altitude, weight w). &nbsp;The function doesn't seem to be used, but I'm still curious about it's intended purpose. &nbsp;it returns a tuple of time, weight and distance. &nbsp;The first two are calculated by the other functions I asked about. &nbsp;The distance is the new one.</p>\n<p>Robert Ramey</p>",
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      "votes": null
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  "comments": [
    {
      "id": 36191,
      "author_name": "robertramey",
      "author_url": "",
      "post_date": "12/15/2013 18:47:25",
      "content": "<p>Follow up. I'm also curious about the function&nbsp;calculateTimeFuelDistance(altitude, weight w). &nbsp;The function doesn't seem to be used, but I'm still curious about it's intended purpose. &nbsp;it returns a tuple of time, weight and distance. &nbsp;The first two are calculated by the other functions I asked about. &nbsp;The distance is the new one.</p>\n<p>Robert Ramey</p>",
      "votes": null,
      "replies": []
    }
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  "source": "meta"
}