When talking about the negative consequences of global warming, they usually mention the melting of glaciers, rising sea levels, extinction of animals, etc. However, the consequences of climate change are actually more profound, and are already beginning to be felt in a variety of areas of life. For example, according to scientists, air travel has become more dangerous than it was before, but the situation will only get worse every year. Moreover, this is happening for several reasons at once, related to the climate.
According to scientists, air travel will become more and more dangerous every year. Photo source: ixbt.com
Contents
- 1 Turbulence — the most common cause of air accidents
- 2 Air density is decreasing – this makes it more difficult for planes to take off
- 3 Plane crashes due to storms will become a reality
- 4 The duration of air travel will increase
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- 5 Runways will be flooded
Turbulence is the most common cause of air accidents
We have already reported that turbulence is the most common cause of air accidents. True, they almost never end in plane crashes, but they do lead to passenger injuries, fractures, and even death from heart attacks.
As experts note, due to climate change, these incidents are becoming more frequent and the turbulence itself is becoming more extreme. According to Paul D. Williams, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, there is already 55% more clear-air turbulence over the North Atlantic than in 1979. But by 2060, that figure will increase to 180%, that is, the volume of airspace containing turbulence will almost triple.
Most air accidents occur due to turbulence. Photo source: pogodnik.com
The reason is the strong winds of the jet streams. Wind flows in the upper layers of the atmosphere, going from west to east, are greatly accelerated. As one study has shown, with each degree Celsius the jet stream accelerates by 2%.
Airplanes will also be more likely to encounter clear-air turbulence, which is considered the most dangerous. You can learn more about it at the link above. As one study showed, North Africa, East Asia and the Middle East are particularly at risk. The threat is so serious that, according to researchers, designers should take it into account when designing aircraft.
Air density is decreasing – this complicates the takeoff of aircraft
Rising air temperatures affect the ability of aircraft to take off. As the atmosphere heats up, the air expands and becomes less dense. In addition, engine performance decreases. Therefore, aircraft require more runway space and their load-bearing capacity decreases.
Hot air makes it harder for planes to take off. Photo source: aviav.ru
Scientists have found that as the climate warms, the distance planes need to take off has increased by an average of about 0.15 percent per year. Extreme heat is already causing far more flight delays than winter weather, according to Bloomberg.
Airplane crashes due to storms will become a reality
In June 2024, an Austrian Airlines plane was severely damaged by a storm. Its nose cone was almost completely destroyed by hail, and the windows in the cockpit were also broken. Fortunately, the plane landed safely and no passengers were injured. According to scientists, such incidents will no longer be a rarity.
The plane was severely damaged by hail. Photo source: ria.ru
More extreme high and low temperatures will lead to more precipitation, as well as more intense and frequent storms. According to NOAA, extreme one-day precipitation has increased significantly since the 1980s, and has begun to affect a much larger percentage of land than before. According to experts, powerful storms with large hail can become a serious problem for aircraft.
Flight duration will increase
The strengthening jet stream mentioned above is slowing down flights heading west because of strong headwinds. According to the study, planes will have to spend 2,000 more hours in the air each year than they do now.
First of all, this means higher costs for airlines, which means higher flight prices. In addition, the longer a plane is in the air, the greater, theoretically, the risk of an incident occurring in flight.
Many runways may be flooded. Photo source: report.az
Runways will be flooded
Airports are often built on low, flat areas that are ideal for building runways. But they are already facing flooding. For example, in May, record rainfall in Brazil flooded Salgado Filho International Airport.
According to data published in 2021, 100 airports around the world are located below sea level. The risk of flooding of large airports by 2100 will increase 69 times due to rising sea levels. Moreover, even airports that are not located below sea level may face flooding, as rainfall and storms increase.
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In order to at least partially minimize the impact of climate change on air travel, design engineers need to take all these points into account when designing aircraft. However, this will not completely solve the problem, and some airlines have not renewed their fleets for many decades.