Climate Change Ruins Plane Flights
Air travel has its share of problems in the US. The recent is the dangerous flights in and out of Newark. Beyond that, there are late flights, cancelled flights and poor onboard service. Add to that the fact that climate change has made flights choppy. That is when everyone, including the flight crew, puts on seatbelts.
According to Inside Climate News, “Scientists at the European Geosciences Union conference last week said there is growing scientific evidence that global warming is driving a big increase in dangerous clear-air turbulence, which is invisible from the cockpit and can surprise pilots and damage aircraft.” Unlike turbulence pilots know about, the seat belt warning is too late.
Wind Sheer
A vertical wind sheet triggers a rapid rise or drop in airflow. It has increased by 15% in the last four decades, partly due to changes in the jet stream. The problem is particularly acute for plans flying over the North Pole.
What happens next? One expert said, “If rapid warming continues, Williams said, studies show vertical wind shear could increase 29 percent by 2100, or 17 percent if global emissions are halved by mid-century and keep dropping.”
Additionally, at some point, the rapid increase in turbulence became dangerous.
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