Originally Posted by
Flying Binghi
I see in the USA there have been four seperate fatal ag plane prangs around wind towers. I don't know the reasons.
I did a quick search - it appears all were collisions either with the turbine towers or with associated wind measuring towers.
WindAction | Wind Energy and Aviation Safety, Fatalities
Originally Posted by
Flying Binghi
There is also mention in the UK CAAPs of pilot reports of wind turbine turbulence. Normally pilots don't report things unless something of concern happens.
https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33...INAL%20Feb.pdf
the CAP states:
the CAA has received anecdotal reports of aircraft encounters with wind turbine wakes representing a wide variety of views as to the significance of the turbulence.
so anecdotal reports and with a wide variety of views about the significance.
That document was published in 2006 and is still the only thing the CAA put out about wind turbines (and the UK has a lot of them in a much smaller area than here). Since then the CAA has not updated it. If they were receiving actual incident reports of dangerous wake turbulence, surely they would update it with better recommendations?
Originally Posted by
Flying Binghi
There is also the fact that the blades on these wind turbines will each be as long as the entire wing span of a Boeing 747. Unless wake turbulence from big jets is a myth I'd imagine a 'wing' twice the size of a 747 would put out a huge wing tip vortice...
??
I am not seeing why having the same rotor dimension as a 747 winspan means it would generate the same wake turbulence.
Wake turbulence will vary with amount of lift produced and aspect ratio.
The 747 wing generates lift of the order of 450,000 kg. That is way, way beyond what a turbine pumping out a measly 3MW would be generating.
A 747 wing has a considerably lower aspect ratio and higher wing loading than a turbine's blades.
This aircraft has a longer wingspan than a 747 - would you say it would generate the same wake turbulence as a 747?
Sorry I remain skeptical.