Topic: Turbulence

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared on CBS to link recent severe airline turbulence to climate change, claiming it has increased by 15% to 55%. He cited heat waves in the Pacific Northwest as a threat to transit infrastructure and urged passengers to keep seatbelts fastened. Critics argue that extreme turbulence remains rare and that Buttigieg is using weather events to push broader environmental policies.

A Singapore Airlines flight from London experienced severe turbulence over the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), resulting in one death from a heart attack and numerous injuries. While media outlets and researchers from Reading University attribute increasing turbulence to climate change, critics argue the incident was caused by standard storm activity near the equator. The flight made an emergency landing in Bangkok after the Boeing 777 dropped several thousand feet.

Effective December 2023, United Airlines requires flight attendants to be buckled in by 10,000 feet due to increased turbulence risks during descent. This policy change may end beverage service earlier on short-haul flights. The airline attributes the shift to "approach maneuvers" designed to save fuel, though some link the narrative to climate change mitigation efforts.

Severe turbulence on a Delta Air Lines flight from Milan to Atlanta resulted in 11 hospitalizations, leading to a discussion on new aviation descent profiles. The hosts argue that "climate change regulated" descents force planes to glide through turbulent areas to save fuel rather than navigating around them. Media reports are critiqued for attributing a 55% increase in North Atlantic clear air turbulence to global warming.

Nico Seim is announced as the winner of the episode's art competition for a piece depicting a "No Agenda Climate Turbulence Warning" sign styled after an illuminated 1980s aircraft seatbelt sign. The hosts also praise a piece by Sir Paul but ultimately chose Seim's for its clever "gag" and nostalgic aesthetic.

An air traffic controller provides "boots on the ground" insight, explaining that the FAA has tightened aircraft spacing from five miles to three and a half miles. This change causes modern planes to encounter more "wake turbulence" from preceding engines, which the media then incorrectly attributes to climate change. The hosts also mock German climate activists who glued their hands to an airport runway.

Allegiant Air Flight 227 from Asheville to St. Petersburg experienced severe turbulence, resulting in multiple head injuries and a broken ankle for passengers and crew. The aircraft dropped 4,000 feet in less than a minute, leading to an NTSB and FAA investigation. Claims are made that airlines may be avoiding altitude changes to save fuel, potentially increasing exposure to known turbulence zones.

NASA's aeronautics research team is investigating the relationship between transportation and climate change. While Chief Scientist Kate Calvin addressed general climate impacts, she focused on NASA's efforts to make planes more efficient to reduce energy use and emissions. The discussion highlights the tension between fuel-saving flight paths and passenger comfort during turbulent events.

Mainstream media outlets reported that Earth recently experienced its hottest days on record based on data from the University of Maine's Climate Reanalyzer. Additionally, several reports claimed that climate change is causing increased flight turbulence. The hosts argue that perceived increases in turbulence are actually due to new AI-driven "continuous descent" landing patterns designed to save fuel, which bypass smoother altitude levels.

A recent spate of severe airline turbulence, including a fatal incident on a private jet in Connecticut, has sparked a discussion on flight safety. Experts emphasize that most injuries occur when passengers do not have their seatbelts fastened, even when the "fasten seatbelt" sign is off. An anecdote involving venture capitalist Ray Lane and the launch of the Tesla Roadster illustrates how even experienced travelers on luxury jets can be caught off guard by sudden mechanical or atmospheric issues.

Activists criticize the Koch brothers for funding climate denial, while "Hollywood Health and Society" works to provide resources for TV writers to include climate change storylines. A scientific study suggests that increased CO2 levels are making the jet stream more turbulent, leading to bumpier flights and more passenger injuries. Researchers at NASA's JPL lab are working with producers to ensure these environmental themes are factually represented in media.

A convicted felon in Santa Clara County was accidentally released from jail and spent a week free before being recaptured after posting selfies on Instagram. In another news item, 27 passengers were injured during severe turbulence on an Aeroflot flight to Thailand, which the media attributed to climate change.

A news report about a United Airlines passenger with a bladder condition who was allegedly forced to "pee in a cup" due to turbulence is scrutinized. The analysis suggests the passenger may have requested the cup herself after being told it was unsafe to stand, highlighting how such incidents are framed by the media to fit a negative narrative about airlines.

A Challenger 604 private jet was nearly destroyed after encountering wake turbulence from an Airbus A380 flying 1,000 feet above it near the Maldives. The smaller jet flipped several times and plummeted 10,000 feet before the pilots regained control. The aircraft was declared a total loss due to extreme G-forces, and several passengers were seriously injured.

The hosts share personal flying experiences, noting that in decades of travel, they have never seen emergency oxygen masks deploy. An anecdote is shared about a particularly rough flight from Denver to Aspen where extreme turbulence caused widespread motion sickness and the eventual deployment of masks after the plane took a steep dive.

Mainstream media outlets including CBS and CNN report on a study suggesting that climate change is causing more frequent and severe flight turbulence. The hosts dismiss these claims as predictive "bull crap" based on computer models rather than actual measurements, noting that pilots have not reported a significant increase in severe incidents.