Nature Strikes Back

Professor Brendan Walker looks at what happens when we fly into hazards thrown up by nature, from lightning to invisible wind shear, bird strikes and volcanic ash. As well as examining what happens when a bird hits an engine, Brendan finds out how planes deal with lightning, how difficult it can be to predict turbulence when flying over the ocean, and what measures are in place to prevent the next massive volcano-induced shutdown of global aviation. Today, we fly as if nature isn't an issue, but nature continues to strike back.