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1.4 Wind Shear Sensing Systems: An FAA/NASA Success StoryA meteorological phenomenon known as a "microburst" can occur in or near thunderstorms and is often responsible for a particularly nasty form of wind shear. This wind shear can cause large and small aircraft alike to loose control and crash with little or no warning. Reactive systems are not capable of giving advance notice of wind shear. They alert the flight crew after wind shear is encountered. Following this warning, the crew can then take corrective action to avoid contact with the ground.Between 1964 and 1985, over 25 U.S. airline accidents, 625 fatalities, and 200 injuries were caused by wind shear. In addition to new training and weather-avoidance procedures, the FAA in 1988 mandated that airlines install wind shear warning devices or wind shear predictive systems by the end of 1993. NASA scientists at Langley Research Center worked with several avionics and airline industry representatives to develop predictive systems for wind shear avoidance. The systems that resulted from this work provide 10 to 60 seconds of warning when wind shear conditions exist in the flight pathÐadequate time for the flight crew to maneuver around or safely through the hazardous wind shear condition. A system has been commercialized by a U.S. equipment manufacturer and was first incorporated by Continental Airlines.
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NASA Headquarters Responsible Official: Code R
Curator: SAIC Information Services http://www.aerospace.nasa.gov |