New Delhi: People flying an Airbus A-380 may feel very safe considering that they are in the world's largest commercial airliner. However, they would now do well to be wary of another aircraft the same size! The severe turbulence caused on a Mumbai-bound Singapore Airlines (SIA) Airbus A-380 that left 22 people injured on Saturday night may have been caused by another A-380. Preliminary investigation by the directorate general of civil aviation has indicated that another super jumbo may have been flying in the opposite direction to the SIA big bird SQ-424 which was descending to land in Mumbai.
"A vertical separation of 1,000 feet must be maintained between two aircraft. An International Civil Aviation Organization study showed that wind turbulence of an A-380 can travel up to 300 metres, which is 985 feet. The initial reports we are getting is the SIA aircraft came in the reciprocal wake turbulence caused by another A-380 going in the opposite direction," said a source. The regulator will also check if there was a breach of minimum separation between the two planes, causing more problems for the one at lower level as vortices (air flow from wing tip as a result of producing lift) travel downward. The fact that an A-380 — it is kept airborne by four extremely powerful engines - can shake up another big bird of its size has surprised some. Smaller planes are known to suffer this impact very often — an A-380 caused the same problem to an Indian carrier's aircraft 10 days ago.
21/10/14 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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"A vertical separation of 1,000 feet must be maintained between two aircraft. An International Civil Aviation Organization study showed that wind turbulence of an A-380 can travel up to 300 metres, which is 985 feet. The initial reports we are getting is the SIA aircraft came in the reciprocal wake turbulence caused by another A-380 going in the opposite direction," said a source. The regulator will also check if there was a breach of minimum separation between the two planes, causing more problems for the one at lower level as vortices (air flow from wing tip as a result of producing lift) travel downward. The fact that an A-380 — it is kept airborne by four extremely powerful engines - can shake up another big bird of its size has surprised some. Smaller planes are known to suffer this impact very often — an A-380 caused the same problem to an Indian carrier's aircraft 10 days ago.
21/10/14 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
