New details have emerged explaining why planes find it difficult to take off from the airport when the weather if too hot.
Illustrative photo
While the heat wave across the UK continues to draw many into air
conditioned offices, this week saw temperatures so hot in Arizona, US
that planes couldn’t take off.
Nearly 50 flights were cancelled in Phoenix, Arizona this week as
weather forecasts predicted a high of 49 degrees yesterday – that
certainly puts our 32 degree days into perspective.
While flight cancellations due to bad weather are frequent, cancelling flights because it is too hot is a rare phenomenon.
Most of the flights cancelled in Phoenix were small, regional
planes, and one of the carriers – American Airlines – said the
particular type of aircraft used by it’s American Eagle brand has a
maximum operating temperature of 48 degrees.
The reason the flights were grounded is because extreme
temperatures can damage a plane’s internal components – but the main
reason is due to physics and air density.
Patrick Smith, pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential wrote in his book: “Hot
air is less dense. This affects the output of the engines as well as
aerodynamic capabilities, increasing the required runway distance and
reducing climb performance.
“Therefore the amount of passengers and cargo a plane can carry
are often restricted when temps are very high. How much so depends on
the temperature, airport elevation and the length of the available
runways.
“And getting off the ground is only part of it: once airborne,
planes have to meet specific, engine-out climb criterion, so nearby
obstructions like hills and towers are another complication.”
Furthermore, a 2016 report from the International Civil Aviation
Organisation warned that heightened temperatures caused by climate
change could affect flights in the future.
The report said: “[High temperatures] have severe consequences
for aircraft take-off performance, where high altitudes or short runways
limit the payload or even the fuel-carrying capacity.”
Larger aircrafts like Airbus’ or Boeing 747s are able to sustain a higher heat at around 53 degrees.
These heat problems are why many countries in the Middle East and
high-altitude airports schedule flights in the evening when it is
cooler.
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Via Daily Star UK
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