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Is turbulence now more common or not? Although the phenomenon is as old as aviation itself, experts' opinions differ on an apparent increase in reports. An incident on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore breathes new life into those discussions. A new platform should help planes experience less turbulence.

Context: The issue of turbulence made headlines last month after an incident on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore that killed a passenger aboard a Boeing B777 experiencing severe turbulence. The plane made an emergency landing in the Thai capital Bangkok. Seven people were taken to the hospital with head injuries, among other injuries. It was later revealed that the fatal victim was a 73-year-old British man who had been suffering from heart problems for some time. He most likely suffered a heart attack as a result of the turbulence.

What is turbulence? The phenomenon occurs when airflow changes suddenly.

  • Turbulence is caused by differences in temperature, pressure and wind speed at different altitudes in the atmosphere. Often, as passengers, you don't notice turbulence until the aircraft comes into contact with a wind swirl as large as the aircraft. The aircraft then starts shaking back and forth, causing you as a passenger to experience a less pleasant feeling or fear.
  • In reality, turbulence is generally a comfort problem for the passenger, not exactly a safety problem for the pilots or the aircraft itself. Unless, as a passenger, you are not strapped into your seat.
  • Willie Walsh, director general of global aviation umbrella IATA, notes that there will be about 39 million flights this year versus 20 million in the year 2000, adding to the perception of more frequent occurrences of turbulence.
    • Walsh: "Turbulence is not a new problem. Having been a pilot for 20 years, it's not like turbulence is only now emerging. It's been a factor in the industry for years. Of course, we continue to assess recent events to better understand the phenomenon and see if more can be done. But a lot has already been done."

A platform that records turbulence

What approach? IATA itself has the Turbulence Aware platform, which airline Emirates joined in late May.

  • "The platform records aircraft data in real time, so that when turbulence occurs, it records it," Walsh says. "Then the platform sends details to other aircraft connected to the system to make pilots aware of the extent and duration of turbulence."
  • The program currently has 21 airlines contributing data. It aims to collect turbulence reports from some 150 million flights by the end of 2024.
  • Emirates is one of the airlines participating in the program. Through it, it will automatically share turbulence data from more than 140 aircraft. This should help improve the safety and efficiency of their operations. In addition to existing aircraft, all future aircraft in the fleet, including the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 777-8, 777-9 and 787, will also be equipped with it.

More cases of turbulence

Noted: Sir Tim Clark, Emirates' chief executive, says his airline is seeing "a notable increase" in turbulence incidents.

  • However, he stresses that Emirates is taking a cautious and strategic approach, such as meticulously collecting data to improve analytical capabilities specifically related to turbulence. According to Clark, the challenges involve predicting turbulence and the importance of gaining a better understanding of weather patterns and using wind speed data from jet streams to improve prediction capabilities.
  • Regardless, most aircraft are equipped with various tools to reduce the risks associated with turbulence. On the other hand, Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa Group and also a pilot, emphasizes the importance of using common sense during air travel. He compares wearing a seat belt in an airplane to the (mandatory) habit of fastening seat belts in the car. Pilots also wear their seat belts for the entire duration of the flight.

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