Aeronautics Lidar Applications - Airborne LIDAR Detection of Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) within the FP7 DELICAT project

Kurzfassung

Turbulence encounters are the leading cause for passenger and flight crew injuries in non-fatal airline incidents. Turbulence occurring in clear air, accounting to nearly half of all turbulence incidents, remains one of the open issues in flight safety since it is not detectable by conventional means, such as weather radar. The frequency of ‘Clear Air Turbulence’ (CAT) encounters that arise from shear and wave motion in cruise altitudes, is further expected to increase due to climatic change. Here we report on a research activity generated within the EC FP6 FLYSAFE and implemented within the FP7 DELICAT project. In the DELICAT project, with the objective of concept and technology demonstration, an airborne LIDAR instrument for the remote detection of CAT was designed, built and integrated on a jet research aircraft. A flight campaign aiming for turbulent conditions was performed in 2013, successfully proving the instrument’s capabilities. In the future, LIDAR systems could be used, alongside radars, for ahead detection of CAT (besides other atmospheric phenomena as icing conditions, volcanic ash, etc.) for timely warning of the flight crew, ultimately increasing safety for passengers, crew and vehicle.