What phenomenon increases the East velocity of an aircraft as it travels closer to the equator?

The correct answer is the Coriolis Effect. This phenomenon results from the rotation of the Earth and affects the motion of objects moving across its surface. As an aircraft travels closer to the equator, it experiences an increase in its East velocity due to the higher rotational speed of the Earth at lower latitudes.

The Earth rotates from west to east, and points near the equator have a greater linear velocity compared to those at higher latitudes. Thus, when an aircraft moves toward the equator, it effectively gains velocity in the easterly direction. This increase is a manifestation of the Coriolis Effect, impacting the trajectory and speed of moving objects in a rotating system.

In contrast, factors like centrifugal force and gravitational pull do exist, but they do not specifically influence the Eastward velocity in the same manner as the Coriolis Effect. Gyroscopic precession relates to the physics of rotating bodies, but it does not directly impact the East velocity of an aircraft in the context of Earth's rotation.