Knowing I should stay out of this discussion (I’m thinking God might think there are better things for me to spend my time on), but there is one test that should put this whole question to rest.
All that is required is for the proponents of the flat earth to have a reliable navigation system that allows one to travel in a verifiable linear fashion. They may have such, I’m just not familiar with it. I have gotten the impression that using a compass and adjusting the declination isn’t “politically correct” with the flat earth crowd, though it has served me well when on hikes.
· I would suggest that a jet liner be chartered (a propeller plane would do but a jet would likely be more practical). Certainly a financial backer could be found. There is one guy who lost his job and his residence a couple of years ago and now has to live on a golf course. He loves to be in the news and “proven right”. He might be a good candidate to invest.
· The route for this experiment is not important and could be varied, but I’ve selected one for my example. I’ve flown part of this route and I’m familiar with some of the airports mentioned.
· Begin at either Eldorado International Airport in Bogota Colombia or Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito Ecuador.
· After takeoff I’m proposing setting a course “due east”, though “due west” would work equally well for the experimental design. I am uncertain exactly how “flat earthers” define east and west, or how they determine such, but hopefully a common accord can be achieved. Global earth folks have always found the rising and the setting of the sun, and a compass, to work really well for this.
· Heading east across the South American continent and the Atlantic Ocean, on a more or less equatorial route, the flight would approach the West coast of the African continent and the country of Gabon.
· I’ve been through the international airports of Senegal, Liberia, and Nigeria, just a bit north of the equator. If one wanted to stay on the equatorial line I’ve no doubt that Leon Mba International Airport in Libreville Gabon would be perfectly fine as a place to get off to stretch the legs, refuel the plane, and take on provisions.
· Taking off, again headed “due east” along the equator, the next logical stop would be Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi Kenya. Another or alternative stop might be Entebbe International Airport near Kampala Uganda. The Shrine of the Uganda Martyrs is close to the airport.
· After stretching one’s legs, refueling the plane, and taking on provisions, the flight would head out again, due east along the equator, across the Indian Ocean to a geography that “global earthers” know as Asia and Oceania. The equator here runs through Malaysia and Indonesia, just north of Papua New Guinea, and a bit north of the Australian continent.
· There are several suitable places in equatorial Asia / Oceania to stop off, debark the airliner to stretch one’s legs, refuel the plane, and take on provisions.
· And now for the final leg of the epic journey. Taking off and again heading due east along the equator across the Pacific Ocean.
I can fathom two, and
ONLY two, possible outcomes (though it would be fascinating to hear other theories:
1.One would arrive back at the west coast of the South American continent and land at either Eldorado or Mariscal Sucre airports, from which the journey first started;
OR
2. One would arrive at the “end or edge of the earth”.
I can’t think of any other possible outcome.
I will finish by saying that the Antarctic Treaty (a favorite “caveat” of “flat earth” proponents) is totally irrelevant here:
· First of all, the Antarctic Treaty did not exist until December 1, 1959, 2-1/2 years after the death of Admiral Richard Byrd and several years after his epic Antarctic explorations. This is also way after many centuries of both oceanic and land exploration of the earth’s surface.
· Secondly, the Antarctic Treaty clearly states that it
ONLY applies to an area below the 60
th degree of the South Latitude. For any exploration north or above that, the treaty does not apply.