Global warming might limit aircraft takeoffs

A study published in the journal ‘Climatic Change’ has suggested that leading rise in global warming is going to put a limit on aircraft takeoffs around the world in coming decades.

As per researchers who took part in this study, during the hottest parts of the day, 10 to 30% of fully loaded planes might need to remove some fuel, cargo or passengers; otherwise they will have to wait for cooler hours to fly.

"Our results suggest that weight restriction may impose a non-trivial cost on airline and impact aviation operations around the world," said Ethan Coffel from Columbia University in the US.

In simpler terms warmer air gets thinner, because of which wings generate less lift as a plane races along a runway.

This might make takeoff risky for a packed plane, to prevent this, either the weight must be dumped, or the flight be taken off in cooler hours.

"As the world gets more connected and aviation grows, there may be substantial potential for cascading effects, economic and otherwise," said Horton, co-author of the study.