Turbulence on flights is becoming more frequent than it was half a century ago. The bad news is that charter tourists will now be constantly shaken by turbulence. This opinion, according to The Sun, is shared by travel experts.
What is the key reason for the spread of this phenomenon?
Pilots use jet streams – fast-flowing narrow air currents found in the atmosphere at high altitudes. They do this to increase the speed of the ship. Why do you need high speed? Shorter travel times mean less fuel consumption, and therefore a lower cost of travel.
However, scientists have found that the magnitude of wind shear – its sudden changes in speed and direction – seen in jet streams has increased significantly over the past 40+ years. This means that these fast and cheap flights are also getting bumpier. are subject to frequent turbulence.
Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading in the UK, explained that passengers may have to put up with turbulence to make flights faster and cheaper. “Since satellites began observing in 1979, the amount of wind shear has increased by 15%. This is a compromise. The airline saves fuel and passengers arrive earlier,” he explained, adding that the tourist’s pay is to endure the “shaking plane.”
Following a 2019 study from the University of Reading, lead author Simon Lee showed that climate change has played a role in increasing wind shear. “Temperatures rose the fastest over the Arctic, while in the stratosphere – about 12 km above the surface – they fell. This confirms previous predictions of an increase in clean air turbulence, as we see that an increase in one of the driving forces has already occurred. This has serious implications for airlines as passengers and crew will face a greater risk of injury,” the source warned.
What makes the increase in turbulence a little more frightening is the fact that the phenomenon in clean air is much more difficult to predict than other types of turbulence. Thus, Turkish pilot Eser Aksan Erdogan, who flies mainly on Boeing-737 aircraft of the Turkish low-cost airline Pegasus, previously told the publication the terrible truth about flying in clear-sky turbulence and about what it is like to be at the helm during shaking.
“Turbulence in clear skies is the most difficult. We do not see it and cannot predict it. We do not know at what moment it will start, so it is not possible to fly around it. It is for this reason that we always tell passengers that they must wear their seat belts, even if the “fasten seat belts” sign is off, you still need to put on your seat belts. There are still other types of turbulence, for example, mechanical and turbulence during a thunderstorm. If the aircraft is moving during a heavy thunderstorm, it is obvious that the weather will be stormy and it will cause serious blows to the liner. In mountainous directions or when flying over mountains, mechanical turbulence occurs – we can predict it, ”added the pilot.
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