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00:00The Himalayas have some of the highest peaks in the world, including Mount Everest.
00:04But it's no surprise airplanes find it difficult to navigate the area.
00:08But why are commercial airplanes actually banned from flying there?
00:15For starters, these mountains have an average height of more than 20,000 feet.
00:20Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the entire world, stands at 29,037 feet high above sea level.
00:27The area is rough, filled with snow, and has almost no flat surfaces.
00:33In case of sudden cabin depressurization, it would be really difficult to perform an emergency landing, since there's literally no
00:40flat area there.
00:41More so, the low oxygen environment at such an altitude means there's likely to be a lot of turbulence.
00:47Not only is it really unpleasant for passengers, but random air movements and high wind velocity means that it's really
00:53difficult to maneuver the airplane.
00:56This area is also quite low populated, so there's not much there in terms of radar systems.
01:02And radar is crucial for aviation safety.
01:05Without radars, pilots would be unable to communicate with the ground to figure out flight conditions.
01:10It can also get so cold up there that jet fuel might completely freeze.
01:15Sure, the fuels used in airplanes usually freeze at around negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but it may be possible above
01:22Everest.
01:22The lowest temperature was recorded there back in December 2004, when thermometers showed a staggering minus 44 degrees Fahrenheit.
01:31So, no wonder pilots don't want to ever take that risk, especially on a commercial flight.
01:37Among the few airports located in the Himalayas, there's one considered to be the most challenging to land in the
01:43world.
01:43Only eight pilots on the planet are certified to do it.
01:46It's called Paro International Airport, and it's located in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas.
01:54First, landing there is so dangerous because you're literally flying through some of the world's tallest mountain peaks.
02:00Not to mention that those eight pilots also have to consider strong winds.
02:05Despite the challenges, they do manage to safely land over 30,000 people each year.
02:10Moving further, there's no radar there to guide the pilots, so they need to maneuver the aircraft entirely in manual
02:17mode.
02:18The pilots need to track their movements based on specific visual landmark checkpoints as they approach the runway.
02:24Moreover, flights are only allowed there during daylight hours and under good visibility.
02:29These pilots also need to watch out for utility poles and roofs on the hillsides, too.
02:35It means they often squeeze their planes between mountain peaks at 45-degree angles before dropping quickly onto the runway.
02:41No wonder only two airlines fly to Paro International Airport.
02:47Apart from these commercial pilots, there are specially trained helicopter rescue pilots who spend most of their career at 20
02:54,000 feet in the sky.
02:56Most of the time, they partner with equally experienced climbers who train by crossing the Khumbu Icefall.
03:02It's dubbed the most dangerous square mile on the planet.
03:06Made up of ice pillars as tall as a six-story building, this huge stretch of the glacier on Everest's
03:12western side is filled with bottomless ice holes.
03:15It takes between 4 to 12 hours to get from one edge of the icefall to the other, depending on
03:21the experience of the climber.
03:23You may think it's a pretty serene location since you're literally only surrounded by ice and snow, but these local
03:30professionals claim otherwise.
03:32One Everest veteran said that the noise was actually the worst part of the job.
03:37The mountain produces awful squeaking sounds and sometimes even sighs.
03:41It often makes people feel like it's talking to them, warning them about the treacherous environment.
03:48Mount Everest isn't the only no-fly zone in the world.
03:52Surprisingly, Disney parks are also part of this exclusive club.
03:56So you won't ever be able to look out of your plane window and see the beauty of fairytale castles
04:01from up above.
04:02In recent years, a lot of crowded tourist attractions, including Disney parks, have increased their security measures to make sure
04:09their visitors are as safe as possible.
04:12As such, no aircraft is allowed to fly within 3,000 feet of Disneyland in California or Walt Disney World
04:19in Florida.
04:20It was initially a temporary ban, but this rule became permanent back in 2003.
04:27Some other places don't have planes flying over them because of their historical importance, like Machu Picchu, located in the
04:34Peruvian Andes Mountains.
04:35There's also a large number of rare wildlife species and plants that grow exclusively in this area.
04:42It's crucial that they're protected as well as possible.
04:46What does it have to do with planes not flying over that area?
04:49Firstly, it reduces the volume of harmful chemicals in the area.
04:54Secondly, if a plane ever needed to perform an emergency landing in this location, it'd cause irreversible damage to buildings
05:01and wildlife.
05:02Surprisingly, planes can fly over the Greek Parthenon in Athens, but with one condition, not to get closer than 5
05:09,000 feet above it.
05:10This way, the historical building is kept a bit more protected from any emergency landings, since there are specially designated
05:17areas around it.
05:20You won't be able to see the Taj Mahal from above either.
05:23Since it's one of the most important, oldest, and most beautiful pieces of architecture in the world, it also needs
05:29added security features.
05:31This building dates back to the 1600s.
05:34UNESCO announced it a World Heritage Site in 1983.
05:37The Indian authorities set up a no-fly zone above it in 2006.
05:43They did it to safeguard not only the building itself, but also the crowds of tourists that come there each
05:49year.
05:49Seven to eight million people!
05:53Buckingham Palace is well known for being the residents of British monarchs.
05:57So, for the Queen's security, a no-fly zone was set up here too.
06:02Planes aren't allowed to fly over Windsor Castle either to make sure the royal family is equally protected.
06:08Other important British buildings with no-fly zones include No. 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister's official residence and
06:15office, and the Houses of Parliament.
06:18George Washington's home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, can only have planes flying above it at more than 1,500 feet.
06:26The historical wooden mansion was built for President George Washington between 1758 and 1778.
06:34Unfortunately, the building has seen a lot of damage over the years.
06:37So, in an effort to preserve it better, authorities decided to prohibit vibrations produced by flying aircraft.
06:44That's why another no-fly zone was established there.
06:47It covers the airspace above this National Historic Landmark.
06:51That's probably the reason why you'll rarely see pictures of this house from above.
06:56Since it's the resident of the U.S. President, it's not allowed to fly over Washington, D.C.
07:02It's also the home of Congress and other establishments.
07:05So, the authorities set a special flight rules area, stretching for 30 miles around Ronald Reagan International Airport.
07:14This means that it's one of the airports with the most precise takeoffs and landings.
07:19Pilots have to carefully tackle no-fly zones, which sometimes results in uncomfortable takeoffs for passengers.
07:26Whenever a pilot breaks a no-fly zone, it's a big problem.
07:30Like the one that happened back in 2005, when a pilot accidentally steered the plane into a prohibited zone.
07:37The capital had to be evacuated immediately, and their regular activities were interrupted.
07:42Other capitals of the world have similar requirements, like Budapest, for example.
07:47In the capital city of Hungary, planes aren't allowed to fly over the ancient inner city of Pest and the
07:53Buda Hills.
07:55Almost all air traffic is generally prohibited above Paris, too, with some exceptions.
08:00Aircrafts flying no lower than 6,500 feet.
08:03Flying helicopters are also a big no-no within the city limits.
08:07Only certain choppers undertaking precise missions can get special authorization.
08:13Generally, passenger planes aren't allowed near the island of Manhattan, either.
08:18Partly because of the really tall buildings there and the added risk of collision.
08:22But mostly because all three major New York airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport,
08:27Newark Liberty International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport, are very close to each other.
08:32So the air traffic in the area has to be really well thought out to make sure the planes don't
08:36cross paths.
08:40That's it for today.
08:41So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
08:46Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the bright side.
08:50There are places on Earth over which planes can't fly.
08:55They are restricted airspace zones you can't enter for security or secrecy reasons.
09:00There are five types of protected zones.
09:03Areas of cultural, political, historical, and environmental significance.
09:08And areas that are protected to ensure visitors' safety.
09:12Let's have a look at the most famous of them.
09:15Firstly, it's Washington, D.C. and the White House.
09:19It's a very protected zone.
09:21No one can fly over it if they're less than 18,000 feet above sea level.
09:26There's an airport close to the White House.
09:29And the restrictions cause a lot of trouble for pilots and passengers.
09:33Pilots have to maneuver very carefully so that they don't accidentally enter the restricted zone.
09:39Because the consequences are quite severe.
09:42Passengers usually don't have a very pleasant time at the beginning of their flight.
09:47All because of the maneuvers pilots have to perform.
09:50Trying to avoid entering the protected zone.
09:53Once, in 2005, a pilot accidentally veered into this zone.
09:58And just because of it, the capital was evacuated.
10:01They don't take any chances.
10:03If there's someone or something in the protected airspace, it's assumed to be dangerous by default.
10:10Next up is Camp David.
10:12It was built back in 1938 in the countryside of Maryland.
10:17Originally, the camp was called High Cadicton.
10:20Built in 1953, the USA's 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, named it Camp David.
10:27In honor of his father and grandson.
10:30Camp David is the U.S. president's country residence.
10:33It is also used to host the representatives of foreign countries.
10:38Since there are so many important people staying in this place, there is a three-mile no-fly zone around
10:44it and a five-mile-above-sea-level no-fly zone over it.
10:49The next place is also important to one of the former American presidents.
10:54The Bush family compound is the summer residence of George Bush's family in Maine.
11:00The family still visits there often, so you can't fly over this place if the altitude is lower than 1
11:06,000 feet above sea level.
11:09Another no-fly zone is the Kennedy Space Center.
11:13No one can travel over it if they're flying less than 5,000 feet above sea level.
11:19This place is so protected because of NASA's activities on and around the island.
11:26The next place is located here, in northern Minnesota, at the border with Canada.
11:31This is a wilderness zone called the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
11:37It's a national recreation area and the most visited wilderness area in the United States, where many people go hiking,
11:45fishing, and canoeing.
11:47The protection of this beautiful natural spot started in 1902.
11:52In 1949, the airspace over the entire region within 4,000 feet above sea level became protected too.
12:01Motorboats and snowmobiles are also prohibited there, all to protect the natural beauty and the wilderness of the place.
12:09Another place on my list is, you'd never guess it, Disneyland and Disney World.
12:15Since Disneyland's airspace has the protection level of the White House and the Kennedy Space Center,
12:21it's prohibited to fly over the theme park without a special waiver, and the restriction goes 3,000 feet above
12:27sea level.
12:28The law was introduced in 2003 to ensure the safety of the park and its visitors.
12:35These days, you'll never see a plane or even a single drone flying over the place, unless they've got a
12:42special permission waiver.
12:44Now, let's go global.
12:46It's not only the United States that has such bans.
12:50There are many more protected places like the ones I've already mentioned around the world.
12:56Let's start with this huge hole in the Earth's surface.
12:59It has a diameter of 3,900 feet.
13:03It's greater than the height of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.
13:08In fact, it's 1.5 Burj Khalifas, and it's also more than 1,700 feet deep, which means the pit
13:17could fit a 140-story building.
13:19The giant pit is a diamond mine located in Myrny, a town in Siberia.
13:26The average winter temperature here is negative 31 degrees Fahrenheit.
13:31You can't fly a helicopter over the mine because it's dangerous.
13:35The mine is so big that it messes up with the flow of air.
13:39The air within the mine is way warmer than it is outside.
13:43And when these two air flows mix, it creates a vortex.
13:47If a helicopter flies by, the vortex will likely pull it in.
13:51Then the machine will lose altitude and crash.
13:56Another place is Buckingham Palace.
13:58Flying over this building is banned to protect the monarchs.
14:02The palace isn't just a place where the queen resides.
14:05It's also Great Britain's administrative headquarters,
14:08where many meetings with foreign representatives are held.
14:13Planes can't fly over Windsor Castle as well,
14:15because that's where the royal family resides.
14:19Peru has banned planes from flying over its famous landmark,
14:24Machu Picchu, in 2006.
14:27The ban was supposed to protect the landmark's heritage and its wildlife.
14:33Next up is India's Taj Mahal.
14:36The mausoleum completed in 1653 is located in Agra,
14:41in the northern part of India.
14:43It's one of the most recognized places in the world,
14:46and it's protected by UNESCO as the world's heritage site.
14:50No wonder this place,
14:51which is visited by more than 6 million people every year,
14:55is so protected.
14:57The area has been a no-fly zone since 2006.
15:00This law was enacted to protect the building and the visitors.
15:06Even though there's no official prohibition,
15:09planes prefer to avoid particular regions on our planet.
15:12One of them is the Himalayas.
15:15The Himalayan mountains are higher than 20,000 feet,
15:18and with Mount Everest, the tallest point on Earth,
15:22reaching 29,032 feet,
15:25most planes fly at about 30,000 feet,
15:28which is too close to the mountain peak.
15:30To maintain the minimum distance,
15:33planes would have to fly higher,
15:34which is impossible.
15:36Also, the winds are too strong over the mountains,
15:39and this makes it difficult to maneuver aircraft.
15:43Planes need routes with the possibility of emergency landings
15:46and with the best radar services,
15:48just in case something goes wrong during the flight.
15:51The problem is that there's almost no radar services in the Himalayas,
15:56and pilots wouldn't be able to communicate
15:58with air traffic controllers on the ground.
16:01An emergency landing is only possible on flat surfaces,
16:05and there are none of those in the Himalayan region.
16:08The risk is simply too high with mountains everywhere.
16:12If you don't think it's already dangerous enough,
16:14there's more.
16:16If something, for example cabin decompression,
16:19happens to an aircraft at such altitude,
16:21the plane will only have enough oxygen for around 20 minutes.
16:25When this oxygen runs out,
16:28the plane must descend to at least 10,000 feet above sea level
16:31to replenish its reserves.
16:33And that's impossible to do in the Himalayas
16:36because of the mountains all over the place.
16:40Another tough route goes over the poles,
16:42and to take that one,
16:44a plane needs special approval.
16:46The problem here is that the pole can mess up
16:49the aircraft's navigational system.
16:51Compasses there go totally wild
16:53and become of no use at all.
16:56Earth's north pole has a very strong magnetic field
16:59that's constantly changing.
17:01If the magnetic field moves,
17:03the true north starts to differ
17:05from what pilots see on their devices.
17:07Then it gets difficult for them to find the correct runway.
17:11By the way,
17:12runways are named according to how far away
17:15from the true north pole they are.
17:17If the magnetic field moves
17:19and causes the pilot to adjust navigation,
17:22they can't be sure
17:23whether they're going to land on the correct runway.
17:26So, only several planes actually fly there,
17:30and they have to go through special preparations,
17:33get particular navigational devices,
17:35and an approval to travel there.
17:37And still, no one flies directly over the north pole.
17:42Even though aircraft fly over oceans
17:44and smaller bodies of water,
17:46if there's an alternative route that goes over land,
17:49the plane will always opt for it.
17:51Interestingly, flying over water
17:53is usually smoother than flying over land,
17:56especially at lower altitudes.
17:59That's because there's less turbulence there.
18:01The main reason for turbulence
18:03is hot air rising from the ground.
18:06When you fly over water,
18:08you don't have this problem,
18:09and the flight is more comfortable.
18:12Still, flying over land is safer.
18:14I don't know about you,
18:16but I'd rather go through a bit of shaking
18:17than have no opportunity to land in case of emergency.
18:21Planes that make trans-oceanic flights
18:23usually have four engines.
18:26For two-engine aircraft,
18:27it's too dangerous.
18:29They prefer routes
18:30where there are many airports on the way
18:32that can accept this particular type of aircraft
18:35in case of emergency.
18:37Imagine an engine failure happens.
18:39In this case,
18:40the aircraft will have to rely on the remaining engine
18:43to take the plane to the nearest airport
18:45and land safely.
18:47There aren't so many airports
18:49in, let's say,
18:50the Pacific Ocean.
18:54Hey, we all want to get from point A to point B
18:57in the quickest, most direct path possible.
19:00Agreed?
19:01Good.
19:02But if you ever wondered
19:03why there's no direct flight
19:05from your hometown to your destination,
19:07there's a reason.
19:08When deciding on a new route,
19:10airlines have smart analysts
19:12who decide what that route will be
19:14or if it'll even happen.
19:16They got two main questions to answer.
19:19How many people want to go there
19:21and how much money
19:22are passengers willing to pay?
19:24Depending on those two factors,
19:26airlines can make new routes
19:27and drop existing ones.
19:29Distance means fuel
19:31and fuel means money.
19:32If they're not selling enough tickets
19:34to enough passengers going that route,
19:36out it goes.
19:38So, it's not only us passengers
19:40wanting to get from A to B
19:42the fastest way possible,
19:43the airline wants to make it
19:45as efficient as it can be, too.
19:47Because time is money.
19:49By the way,
19:50it's always bugged me
19:51why people don't want to fly
19:53from B to A.
19:54It's always A to B.
19:56Why?
19:56B's a nice place,
19:58but you wouldn't want to live there?
19:59I don't get it.
20:01Anyway, back to the script.
20:02Whenever you're going on a road trip,
20:04you probably plan your route.
20:06You pick the best possible roads,
20:08you check how many gas stations,
20:10stores, and rest stops
20:11will be on the way.
20:12Even if you don't do that,
20:14airlines certainly do.
20:15Because flying is a lot more expensive
20:17than driving.
20:18Before a flight starts,
20:20the crew makes a flight plan.
20:22The plan is uploaded
20:23to the aircraft's computer
20:25and shows the whole route
20:26from one city to another.
20:28The plane will have to stick to it
20:29most of the time.
20:31Even though,
20:32there's actually a whole set
20:33of routing possibilities.
20:35Because it's good to have
20:36a plan B, C, and D
20:38when you're moving
20:39a large chunk of metal
20:40through the sky
20:41with hundreds of people on board,
20:43airlines have the main route
20:44and backups to use
20:46in case of weather conditions
20:47or other possible issues.
20:49So, the people and the airline
20:51want the plane to fly
20:52the least time possible.
20:54As we know,
20:55the shortest way from A to B
20:57is a straight line.
20:58But when you look at the flight map,
21:00it's anything but a straight line.
21:02It's more of a rainbow shape
21:04across the globe.
21:05Why's that?
21:06Because showing our 3D Earth
21:08on a 2D map
21:09tricks your eye.
21:11Your plane really is flying
21:12in a straight line.
21:14Proof?
21:15If you take a string
21:16and connect, say,
21:17LA and Tokyo,
21:18you'll see it's as straight
21:20as lines get.
21:21But compare your string
21:23to the lines of latitude
21:24running across your globe.
21:26There it is.
21:27That rainbow.
21:28If we look at a live flight tracker,
21:31we can see thousands of planes
21:32flying at the same time
21:34in the same route.
21:35I mean,
21:36the whole map is covered.
21:38Look at them all.
21:39Okay,
21:40now let's take for example
21:41the US and Europe.
21:43Planes from New York,
21:44Boston,
21:45Chicago,
21:45and plenty of other cities
21:47all fly to Germany,
21:48Spain,
21:49Greece,
21:49you name it.
21:51They're all in the same air
21:52at the same time
21:53and landing in Europe
21:54by morning.
21:55Turns out,
21:57the air highway
21:57is much busier
21:58than anyone thought.
22:00Imagine it happening
22:01on a highway on the ground.
22:03So much traffic
22:04every single day.
22:06But when you're up there
22:07in the sky,
22:08looking out at the clouds,
22:09it feels like your plane
22:10is all alone.
22:12All these planes
22:13use pretty much
22:14the same route
22:14because it's faster
22:16and cheaper.
22:16So how is it
22:17that thousands of aircraft
22:19all basically
22:20on the same road
22:21don't fly into each other?
22:23Well,
22:23the difference
22:24between the road
22:25and the sky
22:25is that the road
22:27is flat.
22:28Up there,
22:28thousands of feet
22:29above the ground,
22:30the space
22:31is 3D.
22:32So air travel
22:33takes perfect advantage
22:35of that.
22:35But you still have to
22:37coordinate all that
22:38movement,
22:38of course.
22:39Air traffic
22:40is managed
22:40by dispatchers
22:41who watch for planes
22:43and make sure
22:43they don't get closer
22:44than 3 miles
22:45to each other.
22:46Something that helps
22:47them do that
22:48is flight-level regulations.
22:50All westbound flights
22:51stay at even-numbered altitudes.
22:5434,000,
22:5536,000 feet,
22:56you get it.
22:57All eastbound flights
22:59are at odd-numbered altitudes,
23:0135,000 and 37,000 feet.
23:04Meaning,
23:05there's at least
23:051,000 feet
23:06between planes
23:07flying towards each other.
23:09Doesn't sound like much
23:10when we're talking
23:10altitudes of tens
23:12of thousands of feet,
23:13but that's about the height
23:14of the Empire State Building.
23:16Some parts of the air
23:17have extremely high traffic
23:19because so many planes
23:20fly there every minute.
23:22Whenever an aircraft
23:23enters one of these
23:24super-busy zones,
23:25it must follow
23:26a very specific route.
23:28But even in
23:29not-so-crowded zones,
23:30there are still
23:31thousands of planes.
23:33To share the sky safely,
23:35each must follow
23:36their own route
23:36that even has
23:37a specific name.
23:39And they have plenty
23:40of help staying
23:41on the right path.
23:42There are devices
23:43on the ground
23:44called fixed navigational aids
23:46or NAVAIDs for short.
23:47They send radio signals
23:49in the sky
23:49that an aircraft
23:50can pick up on.
23:52You also have waypoints
23:53that are simply
23:54geographical points
23:56on Earth.
23:56They're loaded
23:57into the GPS systems,
23:59and an aircraft
24:00must follow them.
24:01An airplane's
24:02whole route
24:03is basically
24:03flying from one
24:05waypoint to another,
24:06all the way
24:07to the destination place.
24:08Now, let's go back
24:10to that global
24:11flight tracker.
24:12Something else
24:12you'll notice
24:13is that planes
24:14mostly avoid
24:15flying over the ocean
24:16in large bodies of water.
24:18The Pacific Ocean
24:19in particular.
24:20Yes, you see
24:22some here and there
24:23because people
24:23do have to get
24:24to Hawaii somehow.
24:25But in general,
24:27everyone's flying
24:28around the Pacific,
24:29not over it.
24:30That's because
24:31it's a route
24:32that's preferably avoided.
24:34Whenever there's
24:34a nice path
24:35above the ground
24:36an aircraft
24:37can follow instead,
24:38it'll go for the ground.
24:40But that doesn't
24:41make any sense
24:42because flights
24:43over water
24:43are smoother.
24:44Turbulence is caused
24:46from hot air
24:46rising from the ground.
24:48When there's no ground
24:49below you
24:50in just vast water,
24:51the source disappears
24:52and you get
24:53a less bumpy flight.
24:55Still,
24:56flying over land
24:57is safer.
24:58It just comes down
24:59to more possibilities
25:00for emergency landing
25:01on the ground
25:02rather than,
25:03well,
25:03in the middle
25:04of the ocean.
25:05And planes
25:06that take those
25:07trans-oceanic flights
25:08are usually the big kind
25:09with four engines.
25:11It'd just be too dangerous
25:12for the ones
25:13with only two engines.
25:14Just imagine
25:15an engine fails
25:16and that plane
25:17would have to rely
25:18on the one
25:19other engine it has.
25:20If possible,
25:22just best avoid it.
25:23But big ones
25:24also prefer
25:25to have a safe place
25:26to land
25:27just in case.
25:28Now,
25:28show me an airport
25:29in the Pacific Ocean.
25:31Not many of them,
25:32huh?
25:32Hence,
25:33why everyone's
25:34flying around it.
25:35Another region
25:36that planes
25:37prefer to avoid
25:38is the Himalayas.
25:39Again,
25:40doesn't mean
25:40it never happens.
25:41Just better not to.
25:43The Himalayan mountains
25:44are higher
25:45than 20,000 feet,
25:46with Mount Everest
25:47reaching 29,032 feet,
25:50just to be precise.
25:51Most planes
25:52fly at about
25:5330,000 feet,
25:54and that's just
25:55way too close
25:56for comfort.
25:57Not to mention
25:58the winds are strong there,
25:59and mountains
26:00make it difficult
26:01to maneuver the aircraft.
26:02That,
26:03and there are almost
26:04no radar services
26:05in the Himalayas,
26:06so the pilot
26:07wouldn't be able
26:08to communicate
26:09with the ground.
26:10Also,
26:11an emergency landing
26:12is only possible
26:13on a flat surface.
26:14The Himalayan region
26:15is the exact opposite
26:17of that.
26:17Add to that,
26:18there's a risk
26:19of running out of oxygen
26:20in this already
26:21dangerous area.
26:22An airplane
26:23only has enough oxygen
26:24to last 20 minutes.
26:26Plenty of time
26:27for the pilot
26:28to lower to at least
26:2910,000 feet
26:30to a safer altitude
26:31with more oxygen.
26:32But the Himalayas
26:34make that pretty much
26:35impossible
26:35because,
26:36well,
26:37mountains
26:37poking up
26:38all over the place.
26:40You get the picture.
26:40Back to our
26:42flight tracker map.
26:43You'll also notice
26:44hardly any planes
26:45flying over the poles,
26:47except that one
26:48up in the Arctic.
26:49Hey,
26:50what are you doing there?
26:51Ah,
26:52Dubai,
26:53Seattle.
26:54Well,
26:54it's one of the very few.
26:56This route likely
26:57got a special approval,
26:58navigation system,
27:00and a unique set
27:01of preparations.
27:02The problem here
27:03is that the poles
27:04interfere with the navigation.
27:06Compasses there
27:07go berserk
27:08and are of no use.
27:09The Earth's north pole
27:11has a very strong
27:12magnetic field
27:13that's constantly changing.
27:14The magnetic field moves,
27:16making true north
27:17different from what
27:18pilots see on their devices.
27:20If they're just
27:21a few degrees off course,
27:23it could end up
27:23costing them dearly
27:24over long distances.
27:26That's why
27:27very few planes
27:28actually fly over the Arctic.
27:30And forget about Antarctica.
27:32Nobody's flying over it.
27:33Not that you're not allowed,
27:35it's just that
27:36almost 70%
27:37of Earth's land
27:38is in the Northern Hemisphere,
27:40and nearly 90%
27:41of the world's population
27:43lives up there.
27:44Hey,
27:44the more you know.
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