How extreme temperatures can affect flights in the Coachella Valley
An airplane can fly because of the Bernoulli principle. Simply put, wind moving across the top of the wing reduces air pressure, while pressure remains constant on the bottom creating lift.
“As the air temperature goes up, air molecules separate, creating less density, so everything becomes thinner, and so now you need a longer takeoff roll in order for that aircraft to be able to create that same lift component, “ explained Josue Morejon, Airport Operations Supervisor at Palm Springs International Airport.
Chris Kern, a contract pilot, added, "There's also the factor of the performance of your thrust, whether it be a propeller-driven aircraft or a jet-driven aircraft, that efficiency of those engines decreases as temperature rises.”
Each aircraft has its own criteria for takeoff with temperature in mind.
Morejon showed off the criteria for a plane soon to take off: "So this is your takeoff distance. This is what you'll need in order for that aircraft to be able to produce lift and safely climb off the ground.”
Pilots have to consider the plane's weight to counter the less dense air.
“You have passengers that are going to go, and you have baggage that goes with them, so the only other weight aspect that you can deal with is your fuel," said Kern. He gave an example of a time high temperatures factored into his flight plan, “we had to make a stop going someplace because we couldn't take off the amount of fuel we needed to get to the destination.”
The length of the runway plays a crucial role in the success of a takeoff.
“We're on par with the longest runways in the region, so lax being the longest one in the region, with 12,000 feet. So that actually helps us out, because we have all those 10,000 feet to create a longer takeoff role for all the aircraft that we see,” said Morejon.
During last week's extreme heat wave, only one flight was canceled.
Jake Ingrassia, Marketing and Communications Specialist at Palm Springs International, noted “extreme heat does affect flights, but here at PSP, the disruptions are minimal, and you're most likely not going to be impacted by those extreme temperatures disrupting your flight.”
