On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:59:40 -0000, "Mike Coon"
wrote:

But perhaps not a real navigator! Else she would be able to explain how a
great circle route can be shorter than a "straight line" (whatever straight
might mean here). Surely no-one would call a rhumb line "straight"?

A straight line would immediately drop below the surface and not come
up until reaching the destination.

Casady