As we reported, on May 21st a plane flying from London to Singapore, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, on a Boeing 777, ran into an area of extreme turbulence. Everything flew and fell on board about thirty passengers were injured. Unfortunately, there was also one victim, due to indirect causes due to a heart attack. The flight was forced to make an emergency landing to Bangkok both for checks and to provide aid to the injured.
Record jet stream: is it true that some airliners have exceeded the speed of sound?
The episode has generated concern among air travellers; the issue of increased risk of severe turbulence has been known for some time and meteorology can do a lot to help with flight safety.
What happened to the Singapore Airlines flight
At the time of the episode, the plane was over southern Myanmar, it doesn’t appear to be in rain or thunderstorms, but from the radar image superimposed on the route traced by the Flightradar24 website, some isolated thunderstorms can be seen in the area. A more organized system was present in the direction of the route. According to flightradar24, some media outlets mistakenly said that the descent of flight SQ321 from 37,000 to 31,000 feet was due to turbulence, while it was actually a standard descent towards Bangkok. The actual severe turbulence phase would have lasted a few minutes.
A commercial airplane exceeded the speed of sound thanks to the push provided by the atmosphere
At the moment we do not have detailed weather datahowever many experts are uncertain whether turbulence was the sole cause of the accident on flight SQ321. Robert Sumwalt, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and a pilot, told CBS that It is too early to determine the exact cause of the accident. The investigation by the flight safety agencies will establish the cause and possible responsibilities.
Observe and predict turbulence
Exist various types of turbulence: they can be due to thermals, convective formations, orography. The most subtle are CAT, Clear Air Turbulence, that is, turbulence in clear air (or clear air), under clear skies. They are often present at the edge of jet streams, where sudden changes in wind speed or direction occur.
Specialist model products are able to identify the areas most at risk, and the “significant weather” maps for aeronautical use circumscribe the areas and altitudes where they are present, also providing information on their intensity. Atmospheric radio soundings are of great help for detailed local forecasting, where present.
They can then be monitored with special satellite images, such as those of air masses, with advanced weather instruments such as LIDAR, vertical wind profilers and others.
Routes are also optimized based on forecasts, but Very local and sudden episodes of CAT are difficult to predict and avoidable.
The climate changes and turbulence increases
Prof. Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric sciences at the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading has demonstrated, together with his team of researchers, that From 1979 to 2020, severe turbulence increased by 55%. This because climate change affects the jet stream, intensifying itas well as waving it.
It follows that turbulence increases in clear air. Researcher Mark Prosser points out that turbulence makes flights irregular, increases fuel consumption and can pose a safety risk.
Researcher Mark Prosser points out that turbulence makes flights irregular, increases fuel consumption and can pose a safety risk.
Regarding the episode, Professor Williams stated in a University of Reading press release: “Fortunately, fatalities caused by turbulence on commercial flights are very rare, but today unfortunately one was added.”, but to clarify the specific case from a meteorological point of view, further investigation is needed. However, he added that “Our future projections indicate a doubling or tripling of turbulence severe in jet streams in the coming decades, if the climate continues to change as predicted.”
What to do to fly safely
Pilots are trained to handle turbulence also sudden and airplanes are structurally capable of withstanding extreme turbulence, as demonstrated by the landing of flight SQ321. Credit must be given to the skill of the commander and first officer, who managed a difficult situation according to protocols and procedures.
Strong wind and turbulence on the mountains, how do the “rotors” arise?
However, a lot also depends on us passengers: the seat belt must always be kept fastened when seated, unnecessary and more blunt objects should be placed in the overhead bin, if the instruction to fasten your seat belt comes on, return to your seat immediately. However, we often see a certain superficiality in flight, at the sound of the buzzer and the warning to fasten their seat belts many remain standing, go to the bathroom etc.
Not surprisingly, breaking news, Singapore Airlines has decided to change the rules on the use of seat beltstightening checks on passengers and immediately suspending on-board service, and also to avoid the route in the area of Myanmar affected by the turbulence which was fatal for a passenger.
