Aviation Term of the Day - Jet Blast

An airport in itself is the epitome of a recipe for disaster.Too harsh? Here's why.Airports themselves provide a huge array of disastrous hazards. From misuse of ground support equipment (GSE),faulty GSE,hazards posed by foreign object debris (FOD), Speedy vehicles in ramp area,negligence of safety signs and inappropriate taxiway and runway markings, the list is endless.

Here's the big one.Jet blast and suction.Jet blast is defined as a phenomenon of rapid air movement produced by the jet engines of the aircraft,when the engines are on- before or during takeoff.

A large jet engine can produce wind up to 100 knots which is equivalent to 190 km/hr for a distance as far away as 60 metres or 200 feet.

The long and short of it is that, jet blast is the force generated behind the engines on an aircraft.

Jet blast causes potentially dire results as it causes injury to people,as well as damage to building structures,ramp equipment,vehicles and so on.

Jet blast can be prevented by visually checking the ramp, giving hand signals or verbal warnings to ensure adequate distance whenever there's an operating aircraft around.