Why can't aircraft fly in fog?

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Do you completely trust a computer? no? well neither do pilots. especially on landings. Pilots have a little light on their Attitude Direction Indicator that says "DH" on it. DH stands for decision height. Decision Height is determined by a preset absolute altitude from within the Radio, or Radar Altimiter... (hereon referred to as RADALT) which is usually around 200 feet but can be adjusted to any altitude right down to the ground. When the plane reaches decision height above the ground, the light comes on, indicating as such, and if the pilot CANNOT see the runway, they will go around and try again or fly to another airport. If a pilot does not go around at decision height, he is usually commited to land and keep in mind... 200 feet may seem like a lot, but when you're flying at 135-140 knots just to keep your plane from falling out of the air, 200 feet is nothing!

Sonu

Fog, causes a bad vision to the piolts. Thats the basic reason its not permitted to an aircraft for landing or takeoff in fog.
Next.....you must have experienced this problem when driving your own vehicle in a foggy weather.

kloackster

low visibility makes take-off and landing very dangerous

Michael R

They can fly, but they can't see in a heavy fog, which increases chances for collisions and mistakes.

todd

Takeoffs and landings are done vissualy by pilots. They dont rely on radar because it doesnt work properly at low alitudes. At might, you can see lights, and during clear weather you can obvioulsy sopt aircraft. But fog can make a planes takeoff and landings extremely dangerous since both visual and radar are not of use.

jimmyluger

put on a blindfold and try to drive your car. then re ask this question.

MattCan

Aircraft can FLY in fog. Modern planes have instruments that could land and even handle most take off functiosn in zero visibility. Instruments cannot overcome the difficulties on the ground however. Aircraft cannot efficiently move around airports in the fog as visual markers dictate where the planes are going. Furthermore the aircraft on the ground are directed by controllers who rely on line of sight to manage these movements.

In the 1970s fog was the critical factor in the worst aviation disaster ever; the collision of 2 Boeing 747s that ended up on the same runway in the Canary Islands.

Jason W

Aircraft can fly in fog,however they just can take off in the fog because they need 600metres of visabillity

Joshua

I think it's not that they can't fly in fog.....the fog causes problems during landing and taking off.

shovelkicker

They can and do! But it is the take off and landing that causes the cancellations. All airports have minimum visibility requirements. Once the IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) minimum has been reached all activity ceases. Flights inbound are then rerouted to other airports.
Rules for IFR operations at all international airports were made stricter after the horrible plane wreck on the island of Tenneriffa Spain. A Dutch jumbo jet started it's take off run and a jumbo jet from an American airline was still trying to taxi off the runway.

Once in the air flying blind under IFR rules is easy and separation using RADAR is kept.

Hope that answers your question. Hope you make it to your holiday destination.

CautiousNorm.

Usual spacing is 90 seconds,but thats too close in fog.So every other one is cancelled.

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