Air traffic management in Singapore identifies flight turbulence as a significant safety concern for aviation operations
In a move to enhance aviation safety, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has added flight turbulence to the list of state-level operational safety risks in its Singapore National Aviation Safety Plan for 2025-2027. This decision comes after two significant incidents involving Singapore-registered aircraft in 2024. On May 21, a Boeing 777 flying from London to Singapore experienced severe turbulence over Myanmar, resulting in the death of a 73-year-old passenger and multiple injuries. Months later, on September 6, a Boeing 787-9 was hit by turbulence during descent in Hong Kong, leaving one passenger and one cabin crew member seriously injured. The inclusion of flight turbulence in the National Aviation Safety Plan is not random. It is a response to the increased risk of turbulence incidents and the effects of climate change. According to climate researchers, flyers are likely to experience more air turbulence in future decades due to these factors. The type of turbulence set to increase is unpredictable. To mitigate the risks, Singapore-based airlines have been implementing a series of measures. These include the use of modern weather radars and turbulence awareness applications by flight crews to avoid areas of potentially hazardous turbulence. Since the incidents, they have also been focusing on minimising the impact of events caused by turbulence. The CAAS is also taking proactive steps. It is working with international civil aviation authorities to promote the use of enhanced turbulence forecasting and onboard turbulence detection systems. The authority is also sharing real-time turbulence data with other authorities. The National Aviation Safety Plan already listed a multitude of key safety risks for the 2022-2024 period, including loss of control in-flight, mid-air collision, runway excursion, runway incursion, controlled flight into terrain, system/component failure, and abnormal runway contact, which were responsible for ten incidents over that period. The addition of flight turbulence to the list is a call to action for the Singapore aviation sector. Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, stated that the National Aviation Safety Plan is a call to action for the sector to work together to ensure aviation safety as they position themselves for growth. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have also been working together to map turbulence-prone flight routes globally to help passengers and flight crew prepare for such events. The CAAS considers flight turbulence as a developing safety risk area where more work can be done. Governments around the world have already been working together to map some of the world's most turbulence-prone flight routes. The CAAS is committed to ensuring the safety of its passengers and crew, and the addition of flight turbulence to the National Aviation Safety Plan is a step towards achieving this goal.
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