Airlines are using new software that transmits weather data from planes in the air to analysts on the ground, allowing pilots to avoid turbulence that can injure passengers and damage planes.
A passenger and two flight attendants were hospitalized Saturday after United Airlines flight 1597 ran into turbulence on the way into Washington Dulles International Airport from San Juan, Puerto Rico. A second flight also ran into strong turbulence while flying to Washington from San Francisco, but no serious injuries were reported.
To avoid such injuries, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have been testing new sensors and software that relay information as a plane experiences turbulence and transmits it to other airlines.