A group of United Airlines pilots have been testing a system developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to alert commercial airliners to pockets of turbulence. Between 1992 and 2001, turbulence was a factor in at least 509 accidents in the United States, including 251 deaths. In addition, turbulence causes more than 1,000 minor injuries annually, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Joint Safety Analysis Team. Meanwhile, airlines lose millions of dollars annually due to turbulence-related injury claims, delays, fuel costs, and aircraft damage.
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