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Severe turbulence in level flight does not impart sufficient forces upon modern aircraft to cause a crash. It nevertheless imposes a risk of injury to the passengers and crew. There have been hundreds of documented cases during severe turbulence in which unrestrained passengers and crew (without their seatbelts fastened) were "thrown" about the cabin leading to serious injury and death (1).
There is a special form of turbulence, called windshear (also known as wind shear), which presents a potentially high risk to the aircraft itself, and a particular form of windshear, called a microburst, which has proven catastrophic to aircraft during final approach for landing. Microbursts are especially vexing because they are extremely powerful, localized, and they manifest themselves quickly and without warning. For example, Delta Airlines flight 191, a Lockheed L1011 that crashed at Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas, USA on 2 August 1985, encountered a microburst near the end of the runway less that two minutes after an earlier aircraft landed safely on the same runway without experiencing the microburst. (2).
Microbursts are such a serious concern that modern airports and airplanes are equipped with windshear detection and alert systems that advise air traffic controllers and pilots of potential windshear conditions.
1 - Source: http://www.fss.aero/accident-reports/browse_keywords_results.php?cb_key=cb_flt_attendant
2- Source: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001214X37434&key=1
What else can I help you with?
What clouds have the greatest turbulence?
Cumulonimbus clouds are known to have the greatest turbulence, as they can grow vertically to great heights and can produce severe weather conditions such as thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes. The strong updrafts and downdrafts within cumulonimbus clouds create a lot of turbulence, making flying through them challenging for aircraft.
What cloud types would indicate convective turbulence?
Towering cumulus clouds.
What is turbulence mixing?
Turbulence mixing refers to the process of mixing different substances or fluids at a molecular level through turbulent flow. Turbulence in fluids can cause chaotic movement that enhances the mixing of substances by breaking them into smaller scales and increasing their contact area. This phenomenon is important in various natural and industrial processes, such as in ocean currents, atmospheric dynamics, and chemical reactions.
Why do clouds disappear with high air pressure?
In a high pressure system air sinks and is compressed. As the air is compressed it heats up, which can cause clouds to evaporate.
Do lighting and thunder have the same cause?
No. Lightning is caused by electrical charges travelling from clouds to the earth, earth to clouds or cloud to cloud. Thunder is caused by lightning.
What clouds have the greatest turbulence?
Cumulonimbus clouds are known to have the greatest turbulence, as they can grow vertically to great heights and can produce severe weather conditions such as thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes. The strong updrafts and downdrafts within cumulonimbus clouds create a lot of turbulence, making flying through them challenging for aircraft.
Why does an airplane shake when it passes through clouds?
It might shake only when passing through turbulence. Clouds may or may not be turbulent. Pilots learn which are and which are not turbulent. Clouds that occur in even layers are very smooth. Thunderheads and lenticulars are often violent and are usually best avoided.
What cloud types would indicate convective turbulence?
Towering cumulus clouds.
What does moving water cause?
Turbulence.
Does the wing tip vortex on a plane cause turbulence?
Yes. This is part of what is called wake turbulence.
What effect does moving water cause?
Turbulence.
What type of clouds have ripples arranged in lines?
Altocumulus clouds, specifically altocumulus undulatus, can have ripples arranged in lines. These clouds often occur at mid-level altitudes and are associated with atmospheric instability and turbulence.
Can an airplane fly around a tornado not feel any turbulence?
No.Tornadoes form within the updraft portion of a thunderstorm, near a downdraft. This will cause quite a bit of turbulence.
What causes the cloud's collapse to halt?
The collapse of a cloud can halt due to forces such as gas pressure, turbulence, or magnetic fields that counteract the force of gravity. Once these opposing forces balance out, the cloud can reach hydrostatic equilibrium and stop collapsing.
If an unstable air mass is forced upwards what type clouds can be expected?
If an unstable air mass is forced upwards, you can expect cumulonimbus clouds to form. These clouds are associated with thunderstorms and can bring heavy rain, lightning, and strong winds. The instability in the air mass allows for rapid vertical development of these clouds.
True or false turbulence in airflow causes friction drop?
False. Turbulence in airflow does not cause friction drop. Turbulence can actually increase drag and resistance in airflow, leading to more energy consumption and potentially reducing the overall efficiency of a system.
How does turbulence affect the speed of a river and a rivers power to cause erosion?
Along with friction, turbulence slows down the waters flow and also may erode the stream bed
