SQ flight turbulence: Interview with Liew Hui Sing, Aerospace Specialist from SP's School of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering

23 May 2024

Commenting on the SQ321 incident, Liew Hui Sing, Aerospace Specialist from SP's School of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, shared about clear air turbulence. He mentioned that this is an invisible phenomenon that causes buffeting to the aircraft. This is tricky because it cannot be detected, and pilots do not have any visual clues to it, while weather radar detections are limited. He noted that plummeting 6000 ft from the air within 3 minutes was not the issue, while the more concerning aspects are sudden changes to the vertical speed and G-forces that pilots and occupants were experiencing. On the type of data that investigators are looking for, Hui Sing noted that they will need the information to recreate the scenario in a virtual environment, which is important in helping them piece together what actually happened. He added that investigators are also likely to interview the passengers and crew on what they have experienced during the flight and the incident itself, and piece all the information together to discover what actually happened during the incident. The final report will be presented to the aviation industry, and procedures and protocols will be put in place to ensure that safety details are followed.

[Channel NewsAsia]