Each in-service aircraft is struck by lightning at least once per year, on average. Even if the level of energy of lightning strikes is high, their effects on an aircraft are limited. This Airbus article explains the lightning phenomenon and why aircraft are prone to lightning strikes. It describes how aircraft are designed to limit…… Continue Reading →
This document provides information on how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as the U.S. meteorological authority with regard to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), meets its obligations to the International Airways Volcano Watch (IAVW), which is sponsored by ICAO…. Continue Reading →
Ice crystals (frozen water) associated with convective clouds can form ice in the engine core, where temperatures are initially warmer than freezing. Ice shedding can cause engine power loss (surge, flameout) and damage…. Continue Reading →
High-altitude ice crystals in convective weather are now recognized to be a cause of engine damage and engine power-loss… Continue Reading →
Flight Crew of a DC-10 Encounters Microburst During Unstabilized Approach, Ending in Runway Accident… Continue Reading →
Thunderstorms kill. They kill with wind, rain, ice, hail, lightning, downbursts… Continue Reading →
The Turbulence Education and Training Aid was developed by an industry team consisting of participants from airlines, airplane manufacturers, and the FAA to provide a means for the reduction of injuries and damage caused by turbulence encounters. The training package consists of this document and an accompanying. Turbulence is the leading cause of injury in…… Continue Reading →
The world’s busy air traffic corridors pass over hundreds of volcanoes capable of sudden, explosive eruptions. In the United States alone, aircraft carry many thousands of passengers and millions of dollars of cargo over volcanoes each day. Volcanic ash can be a serious hazard to aviation even thousands of miles from an eruption. Airborne ash…… Continue Reading →
A commercial aircraft encounter with volcanic Ash can threaten safety of flight because of resulting conditions that can range from windshield pitting to loss of thrust in all engines. Developments in technology and communication networks have significantly decreased the probability of such an encounter in the last several years. Despite these developments, however, a 737-700…… Continue Reading →
The aim of this Briefing is to provide information about volcanic ash effects on aircraft, and operational guidelines, in order to help preventing a volcanic ash cloud encounter…. Continue Reading →
The aviation industry has now connected a number of jet engine power-loss and damage events to the ingestion of ice particles. Ice particle icing related jet engine power-loss and damage events are occurring during flights of large transport aircraft, commuter, and business jets. These events have only recently been recognized as occurring in regions of…… Continue Reading →
White sky and white ground, no shadow and no horizon set you up for CFIT… Continue Reading →
This document presents four events linked to meteorological phenomena, strong winds at altitude or convective movements associated with cumulonimbus. Although different in nature, these examples have some common points: the sudden deterioration of the conditions, late detection, sometimes inappropriate reactions, lack of information transfer within flight crews (PIREP). Since they are difficult to characterize in…… Continue Reading →
Causes and prevention review. Training recommendations and strategy…. Continue Reading →
Studies have found no link between cabin air quality and health problems, but some crewmembers and passengers say those studies are wrong…. Continue Reading →