As the kids break up for the long school summer holidays, many of us will be setting our sights overseas. A week or two of fun in the sun is just what we need after such a soggy summer so far.

But did you know that your site generator hire choices at home could have a direct effect on your holidays abroad – especially if you’re heading to the Disney fun of Florida.

Turbulent times

Following the headline-making death of a British passenger on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 in May, turbulence has been big news. The Boeing 777 plane in question dropped a staggering 178 feet in just four seconds, not only causing the death, but also putting a further 71 people in hospital.

While turbulence deaths are few and far between, there’s no doubt that turbulence is increasing. A study published last year by the University of Reading found that clear air turbulence, the hardest to spot and avoid, had increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020. According to the National Centre for Atmospheric Research, turbulence costs $500million per year for US airlines alone, with the worldwide cost running into billions.

What is clear air turbulence?

Most turbulence occurs around thunderstorms, which are easy to detect and fly around. However, clear air turbulence is caused by the interaction of different layers in the atmosphere – the same interactions that cause the jet stream.

The troposphere, or lower level, normally cools as you rise through it, before you meet the constant temperature of the stratosphere. However, as a result of climate change, the troposphere is getting warmer and the stratosphere is getting cooler. This increases the energy difference between the two layers, causing additional friction in the jet stream, which in turn causes dangerous turbulence.

Why is clear air turbulence a problem?

While around 75% of all turbulence can be predicted by computer models hours ahead of flights, clear air turbulence is much more unpredictable. It’s undetectable by onboard sensors, almost impossible to model on computers, and it cannot be seen by satellites from space. The only warning pilots get is from the flights ahead of them on the major routes.

Data from the US National Transport Safety Board showed that between 2009 and 2018 flight crews had no warning whatsoever of 28% of turbulence related accidents. Professor Paul Williams, one of the project leaders of the Reading study, expects turbulence to increase as a result of climate change. “We ran some computer simulations and found that severe turbulence could double or triple in the coming decades,” he says.

What can you do about it?

As discussed above, major turbulence incidents and injuries are still rare, and your holiday charter flight is not about to drop out of the sky. However, the rise in turbulence is yet another warning that climate change is real, present and needs to be taken seriously. Fortunately, there is much more that you can do other than just keeping your seat belt buckled on your way to Disney World.

Think Hire are here to help your company to combat climate change by operating in a more environmentally friendly way. Our solar site generator hire is backed by a wide range of compatible, low energy site equipment, from site lighting to electric tool and vehicle charging points. We can also help you to get the best from your solar site generator hire with state of the art energy management.

So, as your mind starts to turn towards that holiday flight, take a moment to consider how your work could be affecting your holidays. Solar site generator hire from Think Hire could make a real difference to your comfort and safety, both now and for decades to come.

To find out more about solar site generator hire, contact Think Hire today.