It's so hot in Phoenix, they can't fly planes

[n2doc]

PHOENIX — The extreme heat forecast for Phoenix on Tuesday has caused the cancellation of 20 American Airlines flights out of Sky Harbor International Airport.

According to a statement from American Airlines, the American Eagle regional flights use the Bombardier CRJ aircraft, which has a maximum operating temperature of 118 degrees. Tuesday's forecast for Phoenix included a high of 120 degrees, and the flights that are affected were to take off between 3 and 6 p.m. MT.

Customers affected were told to contact American Airlines for rebooking options or to request a refund.

Extreme heat affects a plane's ability to take off. Hot air is less dense than cold air, and the hotter the temperature, the more speed a plane needs to lift off. A runway might not be long enough to allow a plane to achieve the necessary extra speed.


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https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/nation-now/2017/06/19/its-so-hot-phoenix-they-cant-fly-planes/410766001/

[underpants]

1. That's amazing

Crazy hot

[TexasProgresive]

2. As the heat rises lift goes down.

Probably have trouble taking off. Landing might be iffy as well. I guess it's time to bring back the JATO bottles. (jet assist take off)

[elehhhhna]

7. Not to mention that a clear, hot day causes more updrafts

and some damned bumpy flights.

[Hortensis]

3. Very interesting. Thanks, N2doc. Just one of thousands

of ways not immediately obvious that our lives will be/are being impacted.

Perhaps this will cause a little anxiety among partisan climate-deniers. There should be some among the passengers who are forced to add this to all they're denying.

[nikibatts]

4. Was American the ONLY airline to halt flying there?

[Atman]

6. The type of plane they use.

I would imagine the lift would different on different plane designs. American is apparently the only one using that Bombardier aircraft in Phoenix.

[hatrack]

8. IIRC, they had to shut down the entire airport back in 1990 when it hit 123F

If it gets hot enough, no aircraft can safely operate in that environment.

BTW, regionally, they're predicting 123 in Needles, Laughlin and Topock, and 126 in Bullhead City today.

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/news/warning-extended-temperature-could-reach-degrees-in-tri-state/article_028ee7b0-5593-11e7-804d-cfe4481ecdc8.html

[pangaia]

15. NEEDLES !!

I was in Needles in 1970 on an around the USA motorcycle trip,, BMW R-60.

As I remember it was 120. We slept for a few hours under sprinklers on a golf course, then took off after dark across the Mojave for LA. When we stopped in Barstow around midnight it was still around 100!!

if I remember all that correctly....

[Girard442]

5. Wow, now the airlines are part of the conspiracy.

[volstork]

9. LoL

[Vinca]

10. I've got 2 words for you: fake weather.

[malaise]

11. Just saw this on ABC

I learn something new every day

[C_U_L8R]

12. Comment from the President

On the very real effects and hazards of global climate warming in 5, 4, 3... not until a smart, decent President is restored to the office.

[Bengus81]

13. Called density altitude,it can happen anywhere with enough heat

and a shorter runway. Simply put when the air heats the air molecules are not as dense as when it's say only 90d so jet engines have less to "push" against when they throttle up. It's the same with a prop,less to push against when that air moves to the aft from the prop. But those planes are usually much smaller and lighter so they would have sufficent runway lenght.

It's easily obsorved at an airport. Just watch where a commercial aircraft usually gets airborne on a 90 degree day and then come back when it's 45 degrees and see how much shorter the takeoff roll is.

Pilots have very acurate tables for that effect.

[pangaia]

16. With turbofans or turbo chargers the problem is more the loss of lift in the airfoils.

There just aren't enough molecules flowing over them.

I could be wrong. It happened once before.

LOL..

[Major Nikon]

25. All true, but not really the reason why they can't take off

Transport category aircraft are tested and certified with the data contained in those tables. Outside of that is the certified limitation because there isn't data available to fly given those conditions. The planes are perfectly capable of doing much better than what they are certified for, but it would have cost more to certify all of them for the narrow set of circumstances a few might need intermittently.

[lefthandedskyhook]

14. Last time I was in Phoenix...

Saw an early bird catching a worm. It had to use pot holders!

[pangaia]

17. Thread winner..... LOL

[JoeStuckInOH]

24. The early bird might catch the worm.... but

the second mouse gets the cheese.

[Blue_Tires]

18. Just further proof that the CRJ 700 is totally worthless...

And it's uncomfortable to boot...

[Major Nikon]

26. It's a very capable aircraft that fills the regional jet roll quite well

That's why they are so popular with various airlines.

[DownriverDem]

19. A friend told me

I don't live in AZ, but a friend who does told me it can get so hot there that folks don't go out until the evening. The rich leave for the summer months and return when it's winter where they live.

[hatrack]

20. As of 6:40 AM, it's 83F in Phoenix; today's high 120, tonight's low 90

Yeesh.

https://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=Phoenix%2C+AZ

[marlakay]

21. This post making me think about my flight

From Texas tomorrow afternoon, hot here too but not that hot.

People friendly but I can't wait to get back to my cooler weather, I live on coast almost to Oregon. 60's all summer. Actually hot day Thursday 70!

Been enjoying Corpus Christi and Padre Island, my daughter lives in San Antonio. Never been in gulf of mexico before water like a bath.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

22. This happened to me once in Omaha.

[Cryptoad]

23. Wait until the end of JUly,,,,,,,,,,,,,!