How climate change threatens Chios Airport
Rising temperatures due to climate change can force airlines to reduce passengers on airplanes taking off from Europe, especially from small airports such as Chios.
The reason is that the hot air is less dense, resulting in the reduction of the power that holds the airplanes in the air, researchers at the University of Reading in Britain explain.
Their study published in the inspection Aerospace He examines how hot air would affect the operation of aircraft at 30 European airports. The research team focused on the Airbus A320, a model widely used on short and mid -range flights in Europe.
Calculations show that, by 2060, some airports with relatively small traffic rods should reduce the maximum weight when taking about 10 passengers per flight during the summer months.
According to the study, the days during which the maximum weight should be reduced may be increased from one per year to 3 or 4 per year by 2060.
As the temperature rises, airplanes need larger rolling runways
This means that climate change « could increase the cost of your summer holidays. Flights to Spain, Italy or Greece can become more expensive as flights carry fewer people, « said Dr. Johnny Williams, head of the study.
The problem affects more airports with small corridors, in which airplanes cannot take off with the maximum weight provided by the manufacturer.
Of the 30 European airports examined, the worst positions of Chios, Pantelia in Italy, San Sebastian in Spain and Chiabino in Rome.
Larger airports, such as Heathrow and Gatwick, have large corridors to serve the A320 in heat. But even these could face challenges with larger planes such as the A380.
Faced with the risk of reducing the useful cargo, airlines may need to reprogram routes for the coolest hours of the day.
According to researchers, further studies are needed to assess the consequences of other factors that affect maximum weight in take -off, such as moisture and wind patterns.
