THE EFFECT OF SST OPERATIONS ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NORTH ATLANTIC TRAFFIC

Cmdr. Curtis J. Kelly

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	WHEN REFERRING to the North Atlantic area in civil aviation, we conventionally think of that part of the ocean between the European and North American continents between latitudes 70”N. and 30”N. Subpolar and polar operations have caused us to extend our boundaries of consideration even further northward toward the pole. Here we find a stormy, windswept ocean, influenced by the Gulf Stream from the South and the Labrador Current from the North. Aircraft are faced with fast-moving frontal systems loaded with ice, freezing rain, turbulence, unpredictable winds, and all of the other “goodies” that complicate the business of flying the weather. At high altitudes, multi-cored jet streams swish and whiplash across the ocean, giving bonus tailwinds to eastbound traffic and causing westbounders to fly considerable distances out of the way to avoid penalizing headwinds. In addition to the old bugaboo, pre-tip static, caused by the weather, atmospheric anomalies result in periodic radio propagation blackouts and at times make communications a real scramble.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 10, Number 1
Pages:	21 - 28
Cite this article:	Kelly, Cmdr. Curtis J., "THE EFFECT OF SST OPERATIONS ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NORTH ATLANTIC TRAFFIC", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 10, No. 1, Spring 1963, pp. 21-28.
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