PHOENIX — Ever notice that it can be a little bumpier flying into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in the summer? There’s a reason for that.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Assistant Professor Cary Grant explains that extreme heat leads to reduced air density, meaning takeoff will be longer.
“When it gets hot, the air gets thinner,” Grant said.
Grant, also a retired commercial airline pilot, said the familiar bumps of Phoenix’s summer sky are from heat radiating upward.
“I used to brief the flight attendants that it’s going to be bumpy through about 13,000 feet and that’s because of the air currents coming off the desert floor,” Grant said.
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Pilots and airports need to consider tarmac length, airplane weight and manufacturer data before taking off in extreme heat.
In some cases, he said, delays can occur.
“It might be too hot for the runway that is available for takeoff and they might be weight-limited on what they can take,” Grant said. “The main thing is wait for the conditions to improve or start taking people off."
Grant recommends people fly first thing in the morning, or late at night, to avoid turbulence on scorching days.
