Dissertation- Effect of wind turbines on aviation

[Mike91]

Hi,

I'm an environmental geography student about to start my Dissertation. I'm interested in looking at the effects of Wind turbines on aviation, the issues from clutter on ATC radar screens to the problems they may cause GA pilots, or even commercial. With Scotland aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2050 can we keep building more wind turbines, or should we look into investing more time and money into other renewable? I'm interested in speaking to pilots, and ATC to get an idea of what problems, if any they have found from them.

[Pugilistic Animus]

I think there would be strict siting requirements, to prevent them from interfering with any communications or from becoming a hazardous obstacle that could interfere with air navigation

Generally there are strict codes in place for siting large industrial structures...as far as wind energy being a very useful supplement...but that's a whole other discussion...they do however make very interesting devices to study with respect to aerodynamics and electrical generators...to be truly ueseful there would need to be a way of storing the energy, batteries capacitors then there would be loss in the conversions AC-DC-AC...:8

As far as your Dissertation the best place to start would be in the engineering codes for such structures...:)

[Pugilistic Animus]

Just a friendly piece of advice re: Dissertations...whenyou do a dissertaion for a degree NOBODY in the room during the defense can know more than you, and it's really best if most don't understand you anyway...;)

[gorter]

Try speaking to east midlands airport (I guess the press office is as good a place as any to start). I believe they have several on site and are trying to be as green an airport as they can. Should have some good info.

[Sir George Cayley]

To date there doesn't appear to be any instances of aircraft being affected by turbulence downwind of any wind turbine.

NATS regularly object to planning applications but none of the ones approved seem to reduce surveillance integrity.

Maybe writing something along the lines of the visual distraction these can cause would be a better direction to take?

SGC