Overcoming Fear of Flying
Lesson 2: Airplanes and Outside Influences
Weather and Turbulence
Night or day, rain or shine, summer or winter, fog, wind – do they matter? How do weather conditions affect the flight? There’s one very important thing to remember: Flights won’t take off or land in dangerous conditions. This is a good time to mention what Captain Glen Burns told me: Delays mean safety. Sometimes a plane may be diverted; other times it might be delayed. The flight crew won’t take chances.
Air traffic control is always in touch with the pilots and keeps them fully informed as to the conditions. When weather changes during the flight, they’ll notify the pilot and alter the flight plan if necessary. The plane is always on radar and someone is always watching it even while it’s on the ground.
One of the things I used to worry about was the plane landing in wet weather. I couldn’t imagine how something coming down the runway so fast wouldn’t skid, but they actually won’t. To make sure they don’t, planes have antilock/antiskid braking systems that keep them from locking up. In snow and ice, they close runways they consider unsafe until they’re cleared and safe again.
In addition to Air Traffic Control, planes today have weather radar in the nose that tell pilots exactly where storms are. Thunderstorms can be dangerous if you fly too close to the core (center of the thunderstorm) so commercial aircraft must stay a minimum of 20 miles away from it. If a commercial plane flies through a thunderstorm, it’s flying through the outer parts of it and are nowhere near the core. Pilots will always avoid any part of a storm if they can because it’s a bumpy, more uncomfortable ride, but it’s not dangerous.
Lightning frightens a lot of people but when you’re flying you’re not grounded so the lightning passes right through the plane without harming anyone or the plane. Airplanes are rarely even minimally damaged by lightning and the people inside are very safe. If you’re interested in knowing the science behind this principle, look at http://online.cctt.org/physicslab/content/PhyAPB/lessonnotes/conductors_shells/shells.asp, particularly the middle of the page where it refers to airplanes.
Fog can be handled a few ways. If both the airport and the plane have special equipment for low to no visibility landing and the pilot is experienced and trained enough, the plane can land by instruments alone.1 There is more than one autopilot and the pilot is constantly monitoring the landing. Once on the ground, the pilot usually takes over the controls again.
Another way to handle dense fog is to delay the flight if it hasn’t taken off yet, or to divert the flight to another airport if the fog rolls in while the plane is in flight. I’ve been on many flights that were delayed or diverted to another airport because of fog and I’ve been on some that landed in fog. I felt safe in both cases.
Ice frightens many people and there used to be good reason for it. Modern planes no longer worry about ice on the wings. There have been three changes for the better to deicing since 1993. The first is that there is more glycol in the deicing solution and that makes sure ice won’t remain after deicing is done. The second change is that after the deicing, they coat planes with a solution to keep ice from forming for a longer time than before. The third change is that there is less time between deicing and taking off.
Living in Toronto, I frequently fly in icy conditions and have watched the deicing procedure. It’s been done right before we take off and it’s rather amusing to think of it as going through the “car wash”. Modern planes don’t have to worry about icing up during the flight either because jet engines circulate heat through the wings and other areas that might ice up.
Something that must be mentioned is wind shear, which occurs when the wind direction and/or speed changes quickly and dramatically. At high altitudes it’s not a problem but at lower altitudes it can be troublesome. Pilots are trained intensely to recognize wind shear conditions and to avoid them with evasive action. Pilots also take a refresher course every six months to make sure they keep the highest level of skill for these maneuvers. Their skill and training (in simulators too) help them cope with wind shear if necessary.
Equipment-wise, there are wind shear detectors placed around runways and they warn air traffic controllers when wind shear is detected. Planes are also equipped with wind shear detectors and avoidance systems. Some airports have also installed Doppler radar, which detects wind shear. With Doppler radar, pilot skill and the other equipment, wind shear isn’t the safety hazard it used to be.
If you’d like to see real radar maps, visit the National Radar Weather Service site at http://weather.noaa.gov/radar/national.html and click on any city to see a radar map of the forecast.
Most people who are afraid to fly worry about turbulence. Turbulence is moving air (often two air streams moving at different speeds meeting) and isn’t a threat to planes. The pilot can control the plane, it won’t break apart and it won’t tumble to the ground. Flight plans will be made to avoid turbulence if possible, but often the pilot encounters turbulence during the flight - it’s not always possible to predict.
When the plane encounters turbulence, the ride gets bumpy and the flight crew will ask everyone to put their seat belts on. Pilots often ask traffic control if they can alter the route to go around it or change their altitude, not because it’s dangerous – but to give the passengers a more comfortable ride. Turbulence isn’t dangerous, just annoying.
Some people are worried about what they think are air pockets. Actually there is no such thing as an air pocket. In Flying Without Fear, Duane Brown tells us that air pocket is just a term thought up during World War I by a journalist trying to describe turbulence.
People who are afraid of air pockets sometimes think the plane is falling hundreds of feet into a hole in the sky. Duane Brown explains that this is “literally impossible”. What people are feeling when a plane hits turbulence is similar to going over a speed bump in a car.
Always remember that planes are very strong, well made machines and they are strictly regulated. They can handle a lot more than you would think. Today’s technology and training are very advanced and minimize threats to flying.
1 New pilots can’t do this – they have to have a visibility of at least 300 feet from the base of the clouds to the ground. But pilots with enough experience and training can and do land on instruments safely.
Optional Reading
For this section, please read at least one of the following:
- Conquering Your Fear Of Flying, pages 41 - 48
- The Fearless Flier's Handbook, pages 84 - 97
- Flying Without Fear, pages 95 – 104 (top)
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