Thread: How to calculate the Point of equal time between departure and destination?

Hi this is propably really simple but i can't understand it.

PET or point of equal time is a term used in aviation. It defines a point along a route where the time to continue is the same as the time to return to the aerodrome of departure. I have a hard time understanding how it is calculated in my book that i use in school.
This is how they explain it:

dpet= the distance to the pont of equal time
GSr=The groundspeed to return from PET to departure
GSo=the groundspeed to continue from the PET to destination
D=the total distance between departure and destination

time home from PET=time on from PET

dpet/GSr=(D-dpet)/GSo
So far I understand but what i don't understand is how they have transposed the formula to dpet=D*GSr/(GSo+GSr)

Please help it would be easier to understand than to just learn a formula by heart.

Originally Posted by alban

Hi this is propably really simple but i can't understand it.

PET or point of equal time is a term used in aviation. It defines a point along a route where the time to continue is the same as the time to return to the aerodrome of departure. I have a hard time understanding how it is calculated in my book that i use in school.
This is how they explain it:

dpet= the distance to the pont of equal time
GSr=The groundspeed to return from PET to departure
GSo=the groundspeed to continue from the PET to destination
D=the total distance between departure and destination

time home from PET=time on from PET

dpet/GSr=(D-dpet)/GSo
So far I understand but what i don't understand is how they have transposed the formula to dpet=D*GSr/(GSo+GSr)

Please help it would be easier to understand than to just learn a formula by heart.

Now factor out dpet on LHS and afterwards divide through by the bracket.

Thanks earboth!
Exactly what i was looking for. It's scary how fast it's forgotten when you don't use it.