Aircraft Turbulence Rising Due to Climate Change – Birds Could Help

Aircraft turbulence is worsening due to climate change. Researchers propose studying how birds adapt to intense turbulence could provide insights to better predict it and design aircraft to withstand rougher skies.

Turbulence, the irregular movement of air that can cause discomfort and sometimes injuries to passengers on airplanes is on the increase and becoming more severe due to climate change. A shocking research revealed that aircraft experience moderate to severe turbulence 68,000 times per year.

While it is possible to predict turbulence resulting from storms with the help of weather radar, CATs are almost invisible and extremely hard to forecast. CAT is experienced at high altitudes where planes fly and it is characterized by sudden occurrence. It is one of the leading causes of weather-related accidents in aviation.

Global warming is making clear air turbulence more severe by intensifying thermal gradients, where this turbulence occurs, in jet streams. “Climate change has weakened the jet stream and made it more prone to turbulence,” said atmospheric scientist Paul Williams.

As turbulence becomes more frequent, scholars are seeking enhanced ways to predict it to enhance aviation safety. However, one may find some clues in birds. Some birds such as frigates and condors fly at heights of over 13000 feet and experience turbulence that is dangerous for planes. But they have developed ways and means to retain flight control.

Researchers at Swansea University have been exploring how pigeons fly through turbulence using sensor information. They discovered that pigeons can cope with turbulence better than even a small aircraft. It is suggested that birds should be fitted with sensors to collect air movement data at regular intervals and plot turbulence. It could also be useful to understand how birds such as gulls navigate through urban environments to learn how to operate drones in turbulent conditions.

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As climate change makes our skies more turbulent, the remarkable skills of birds to manage it could inspire new solutions to help aircraft manage it better. Studying nature may help in protecting human air travel as climate turbulence rises.