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High temperatures lead to flight cancellations
Context
High temperatures in Leh have caused flight cancellations due to the impact on aircraft performance. As global temperatures continue to rise, these disruptions are expected to become more frequent, necessitating both immediate and long-term measures to ensure safe and efficient air travel.
How Do Aircraft Fly?
- Aircraft wings are designed with a curved top and a flatter bottom.
- As the aircraft moves, air flows faster over the top of the wing than underneath it, creating lower pressure above the wing.
- This pressure difference generates a lifting force that helps the aircraft take off.
How Do Higher Temperatures Affect an Aircraft’s Flight?
- Air Density: Higher temperatures expand the air, making it less dense. This means fewer air molecules are available to create the necessary lift. Aircraft lose about 1% lift for every 3°C temperature increase.
- Engine Performance: Thin air affects the engine’s combustion process due to fewer oxygen molecules mixing with fuel. The thrust produced by the engines is reduced in thin air.
- Take-Off Requirements: Higher temperatures require planes to have longer runways and more powerful engines to achieve take-off.
- Example: If an aircraft needs 6,500 feet of runway at 20°C, it would need 8,200 feet at 40°C.
- Landing Challenges: Thin air reduces the effectiveness of reverse thrust used to slow down the aircraft during landing.
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