How far will an aircraft fly in 3.5 minutes at a ground speed of 165 knots?

To determine how far an aircraft will fly in a specified time period at a certain ground speed, the formula to use is:

Distance = Ground Speed × Time

In this case, the ground speed is given as 165 knots and the time is 3.5 minutes.

First, it's important to convert the time from minutes to hours because the ground speed is in knots, which is nautical miles per hour. There are 60 minutes in an hour, so:

3.5 minutes = 3.5 / 60 hours = 0.05833 hours (approximately).

Next, applying the formula:

Distance = 165 knots × 0.05833 hours ≈ 9.6 NM.

This calculation shows that the distance flown in 3.5 minutes at a ground speed of 165 knots is approximately 9.6 nautical miles, making this the correct answer. Using this method ensures that you convert time appropriately and accurately apply the formula for distance based on speed and time.