Simple Flying
Luke Diaz
09 August 2025
You know the tarmac can tun into a frying pan in the summer if you’ve ever flown at one of the many airports in the American Southwest, like Palm Springs Airport (PSP).
The summer heat in Palm Springs has also been getting more intense every year due to global warming. So how does high triple digit temperatures on the ground change flight operations? Modern planes and airports have evolved to meet the challenge over decades of improvement.
When the heat gets to be extreme, aircraft performance is negatively affected in terms of lift generated during take off roll and engine thrust produced at all power levels. That is due to the thinner air caused by higher temperatures. Ground operations also face the increased risk of human error due to heat stress and greater risk of mechanical breakdowns due to the impact of heat on systems of all kinds from hydraulic to electrical...
Scorched: Palm Springs International Airport Tarmac Reaches 163 Degrees
