What is a significant hazard when encountering a strong temperature inversion immediately after takeoff or during landing?

Wind shear is indeed a significant hazard when encountering a strong temperature inversion, particularly during critical phases of flight such as takeoff and landing. A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warm air traps cooler air below it, leading to stable atmospheric conditions. This can result in abrupt changes in wind speed and direction at altitudes close to the ground.

During takeoff or landing, pilots may experience sudden variations in airspeed due to these changes in wind, which can lead to loss of control or difficulty in maintaining a stable flight path. Wind shear is particularly dangerous at low altitudes because the pilot has limited time and altitude to respond to the changes.

While phenomena like fog, turbulence, and snow can also pose risks, they do not typically relate directly to the immediate dangers presented by a temperature inversion in the same manner as wind shear does. Fog may reduce visibility, turbulence can be a factor in other contexts, and snow primarily affects ground operations. Each of these hazards has its own implications but wind shear is the most critical concern in this specific scenario of a strong temperature inversion during takeoff or landing.