AirAsia Crash Story: Global Warming??

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In a fascinating, yet worrying, comment earlier in the week, Mr Fernandes suggested that climate change was making weather worse and flying riskier, particularly in the tropics.


To blame global warming for the crash of the AirAsia flight is both tasteless and inaccurate. The article is loaded with climatological innuendo about "unique" conditions the aircraft supposedly encountered in a thunderstorm.

First, the black boxes haven't even been retrieved. Investigators have no idea what really happened. Second, there is nothing unusual about thunderstorms in that part of the world or violent up and downdrafts within thunderstorms. That is why all commercial aircraft have weather radar and pilots are told to avoid thunderstorms. Weather radar is part of the FAA's "minimum equipment" list and an airliner is not allowed to take off if there is any chance of precipitation along the route of flight, if the radar is not working.

It is really unfortunate that some irresponsible people attempt to use this terrible tragedy to advance their 'cause' regardless of the reality of the situation.

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