How does heavy rain affect aircraft?

EFFECT ON WEIGHT AND SPEED Raindrops striking an aircraft lose momentum on impact and in a torrential downpour, of 500 mm/hr for 20 seconds, can theoretically cause a 4 kt loss of airspeed for a Boeing 747 in cruise configuration. The effect in the approach configuration is unknown but likely to be greater.



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Moderate and heavy rain can create a thin layer of water on the lifting surfaces, reducing lift and increasing drag as new droplets roughen that water on the wing.

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What happens when en route flights encounter thunderstorms? Jet aircraft can safely fly over thunderstorms only if their flight altitude is well above the turbulent cloud tops. The most intense and turbulent storms are often the tallest storms, so en route flights always seek to go around them.

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This is because moist air is actually less dense than dry air (water vapor weighs less than air, which is why clouds float). Stormy, rainy days allow loud sounds to travel further, which can create louder days when reverse flow wind conditions force arriving San Francisco traffic to fly low over the East Bay.

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Can a plane take off in a thunderstorm? Technically, it is possible, but pilots and air traffic experts prefer to keep planes on the ground when a storm is present and wait for it to calm down before setting off. Also read: Is It Safe to Fly With an Ear Infection?

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Ultimately, it is usually perfectly safe for planes to fly in storms. Today's aircraft, especially big passenger airplanes, are designed to deal with lightning strikes, rain, and other conditions. Plus, pilots haveextensive training in how to handle storms and can be trusted to make the right call.

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What can cause a cancellation? Flights may be canceled due to wind, precipitation, fog or low visibility, lightning, low clouds, or storms.

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There is no single maximum wind speed that cancels flights, as it depends on the direction of wind and phase of flight. A crosswind above about 40mph and a tailwind above 10mph can start to cause problems and stop commercial jets from taking off and landing.

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