Buckle Up for Turbulence

ColumbiaClimateSchool: "Climate change is making travel that much harder." The design of most of our transportation infrastructure is based on the climate of the mid-20^th century. But hotter air is less dense, so nowadays planes need to generate more lift by going faster to take off, also true for landing. "Temperatures of 100ºF or more can cause tarmac to soften, causing aircraft wheels to get stuck." Since airports are heat islands, excessive temperatures may limit the duration of ground crew shifts. "According to the McKinsey Global Institute...without improvements to infrastructure, such as lengthening runways, this could mean 200 to 900 flights grounded by 2030, and 500 to 2,200 by 2050." And the weirding climate is accelerating changes in wind speed + direction above 15,000 ft. Since 1979, wind shear in the jet stream has increased by 15%. "One study projected that the frequency of clear-air turbulence in some places is expected to double by 2050 ...another estimated that climate change could increase severe turbulence by 149% within the next few decades." A quarter of the world's busiest airports lie < 10m above sea level, a dozen such as Shanghai + New York, are < 5m. "As sea levels rise, storms intensify and storm surges increase...runways and other infrastructure [are put] at risk." Extreme cold snaps exacerbated by climate disruption cause differntial contraction of metals such as steel + aluminum. "Plastic and rubber parts can become brittle, and lubricants lose their effectiveness." If snow or ice accumulate on airplane wings, it may be harder for them to generate lift. I could go on, but I have run out of time + space + patience. So, buckle up.