An Investigation of High-Altitude Clear-Air Turbulence over Europe using Mosquito Aircraft

Abstract

The British European Airways Clear-Air Gust Research Unit was formed, with the financial support of the Ministry of Supply, to investigate the problem of clear-air turbulence at high altitude over Europe. The aircraft were based at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and flights were made of roughly 1,000 miles radius from that base. In the two years of its existence, the two PR 34 Mosquito aircraft employed for the purpose covered 92,300 miles of research flying between the selected limits of 15,000 ft and 37,000 ft. Statistically speaking this is a very small sample and must be borne in mind when considering the results. Some twenty areas of turbulence (defined as giving, vertical acceleration increments greater than ±0.2g) were actually investigated, the greatest vertical gust velocity encountered being + 26 ft/sec E.A.S. The results were examined from the passenger comfort and structural aspect, and from the meteorological aspect.