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A WUNC radio interview on “How Might Global Warming Affect Air Travel?” interviewed Marilyn Brown, professor in the School of Public Policy.
Excerpt:
Recently, a United Airlines flight to Phoenix was forced to turn around and head back to Houston. The reason for the diversion? Extreme heat. With global temperatures rising, is this a sign of things to come?
The answer is both yes and no.
Marilyn Smith, a professor and associate director at Georgia Tech’s Vertical Lift Center of Excellence in Atlanta, says the aerospace industry has been addressing this problem for the past decade.
“We are designing new engines that are a lot more efficient and new aircraft designs. We're not going to see the same old tube and wing designs of today,” Smith says.
Smith says aerospace engineers have been looking for ways to decrease the need for more runway length not because of temperatures, but because of noise restrictions. Either way, newer designs and more efficient engines will help the airlines address increasing heat issues.
Read the full article on WUNC.
