9.2 Weather Hazards

Clear Air Turbulance

    According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Delta Flight 5763 from John Wayne Airport in Orange County experienced severe turbulence at 34,000 feet (Goldman,2019). There was extreme turbulence as the flight attendants served drinks to the passengers (Goldman,2019). The cart eventually hit the ceiling and so did one of the crew members. The woman who was in the bathroom at the time was said to have hit the ceiling and came out bleeding from her head. This was found to be due to clear air turbulence (Goldman,2019).

    According to Foerster (2019), weather accounts for 35 percent of fatal air crashes. This is because the weather is in the realm of human beings, and it is impossible to completely predict and prevent it. Today, I would like to discuss one of the dangerous meteorological factors, CAT, called clear air turbulence.

    CAT occurs at high altitudes in the atmosphere during the cruising altitude of an airliner. CAT occurs in terrain where wind direction and speed change rapidly, most commonly in mountains, near power lines, and in jet streams. It is also more common in winter than in summer. CAT is different from the cumulonimbus cloud that forming cloud. Therefore, it is difficult to avoid because it is impossible to observe it with the radar of an airplane. If an airplane encounters a CAT during the cruise phase, power of the CAT is so great that the cabin crew and passengers will float in the air. If the aircraft directly encounters the CAT, it can exacerbate the metal fatigue of the aircraft, which can lead to structural defects of the aircraft.

    To avoid CAT, experience is paramount. The pilot should know the geopolitical factors well to predict it, and check the PIREP to be able to detour where there is a possibility of CAT. Also, if a CAT has occurred, the controller would have to immediately notify the pilots on that route. In addition, it is necessary to pay great attention to the wearing of the seat belt to minimize the injury when a CAT occurs.

Foerster, J. (2019, February 8). How Airlines Are Working To Detect And Avoid Clear Air Turbulence. Forbes. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimfoerster/2019/02/08/how-clear-are-the-implications-of-clear-air-turbulence/?sh=165c5c747d15

Goldman Pc, A. H. B. B. (2019, February 14). Compass Airlines Flight 5763 Turbulence. Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/blog/2019/february/compass-airlines-flight-5763-turbulence/