Climate change causes plane shakes, airlines use AI to predict turbulence

Climate change is making flights more bumpy, forcing Emirates to use onboard artificial intelligence (AI) to predict and reduce air turbulence.

An Emirates Airlines plane - Photo: REUTERS

According to Euronews, experts warn that climate change is making the skies increasingly "bumpy", forcing airlines to find ways to ensure safety and comfort for passengers.

One of them is Emirates (United Arab Emirates - UAE) - the largest airline in the Middle East. This airline is currently testing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict and limit air turbulence on flights.

Turbulence is often difficult to avoid because it does not show up on cockpit weather radar, or is too localized for forecast models to accurately calculate.

Although they rarely cause casualties, severe turbulence can still lead to accidents. Last year, a passenger died on a Singapore Airlines flight from London and several people were injured on a Qatar Airways flight to Dublin due to turbulence.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), turbulence is the leading cause of non-fatal injuries to passengers and crew.

Data from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows that from 2009 to 2021, there were 146 cases of serious injuries due to turbulence on commercial flights.

Research by meteorologists at the University of Reading (UK) published last year showed that the sky is now 55% "rougher" than four decades ago due to climate change.

Rising air temperatures caused by _CO2 emissions have altered the flow of high-altitude winds (jet streams), making “clear air turbulence” – the kind that occurs even in clear skies – more severe, especially in the North Atlantic.

Between 1979 and 2020, the total annual duration of severe turbulence over the North Atlantic route increased by 55%.

Not only this region, other busy routes in the US, Europe, the Middle East and the South Atlantic also recorded significant increases.

“Airlines need to think about how to deal with it soon because turbulence is costing the industry $150 million to $500 million a year in the US alone. Every minute of flying in turbulence increases the risk of injury and wear and tear on the aircraft,” said meteorologist Mark Prosser of the University of Reading.

To combat this, Emirates is using an AI system that uses machine learning data, pilot reports and crowdsourced information to create a real-time turbulence map that can be displayed directly in the cockpit, allowing pilots to identify and avoid dangerous airspace sooner.

The company said the new technology has significantly reduced the number of unexpected bad weather incidents.

“While we cannot guarantee a completely smooth flight, we have seen the benefits this system brings,” said Hassan Alhammadi, Emirates’ Vice President of Flight Operations.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bien-doi-khi-hau-lam-may-bay-rung-lac-hang-bay-dung-ai-du-doan-nhieu-dong-20251110144529718.htm