Would airplanes be affected if they are flying over a land that is having an earthquake?

Answer 1

Yes, the earthquake would create a temporary change in upward thermal activity and air pressure that would result in a spell of turbulance, however, you would have to be in a small aircraft at low altitude to feel it, such as a Cessna 152 at 1500ft flying directly over the fault line.

Answer 2

No. The shaking of the land won't disturb the air at the altitude of the airplane. But landing an airplane while an earthquake is happening could get interesting.

Answer 3

Only if they were flying low anough to put themselves in a possible path of a falling object. Earthquakes generally are caused by tectonic plates sliding past each other, not up and down. This type of motion wouldn't cause any appreciable air pressure waves that would affect flight, especially at the altitudes in which commercial aircraft generally fly.

Answer 4

Maybe if a tower or large building were to topple, but the plane would be flying really low and through a city. They are the only circumstance i can think of where it would be affected.

Answer 5

nope, not unless the control tower or the beacons on the land were affected, in which case the plane would probably be able to land anyways, assuming the landing strip was still in order.

Answer 6

I don`t think it would affect an airplane as long as the quake is not causing any turbulence in the air.

Answer 7

No, but if the passengers could see the quake from the sky they may freak out, changing the atmosphere on the plane emotionally and socially.

Answer 8

I'm sure you could measure it from an airplane, but compared to the turbulance planes go through (choppy air), it wouldn't do anything to them.

Answer 9

Not directly. The air wouldn't be affected

Answer 10

No It would have no effect unless the aircraft was trying to land.