Air Turbulence

Today I read the following article about an airliner that ran into severe turbulence, and thought it might provide a teachable moment for many people who are worried about turbulence but don't really know much about it. The first thing you should know is this: you can trust the airplane. Modern engines and airframes are put through stress testing you simply would not believe, and they will survive whatever kind of rough air they fly through.  Everything inside that isn't strapped in or bolted down, though, is still subject to Newton's laws of motion.

Ten Hospitalized after American Airlines Flight Jolted Midair

I spent a career as a professional pilot. I know a great deal about aircraft, meteorology, aerodynamics, propulsion, etc., because when you fly airplanes your life depends on knowing these things. So trust me, please, when I say the following rules are urgently important to protect yourself when flying:

• Rule #1: If you sit yourself into an airline seat while it is airborne, PUT THE SEAT BELT ON!!!!!!!!  It doesn't have to be tight, but it must be on and latched.
• Rule #2: Get up when you need to, visit the lavatory, stretch your legs, walk around for a few minutes, and then return to your seat and immediately apply Rule #1!!!
• Rule #3: If you are in cruise flight and the Seat Belt light comes on, ensure your lap belt is fastened and tighten it! If you are not in your seat, return IMMEDIATELY to your seat, apply Rule #1, AND tighten the belt tight.

Turbulence is unpredictable, because it is invisible. It is a natural phenomenon, just air. But it is air in motion, sometimes violent motion. Up and down, left to right, twisting and rotating. Sometimes currents of air pass next to each other, one going up at hundreds of feet per minute, and the other going down at hundreds of feet per minute. A thunderstorm dozens of miles away, or just a hot summer day, or a cold front hitting a warm front can impact the air, making it boil and swirl and spin. An airplane hitting any of this wildly active air at 600 mph will cause a ruckus.

Forecasters can guess at conditions that may produce turbulence, but they are only estimates. The most reliable reports of turbulence come from other airplane pilots. But even that is not accurate because airplanes don't actually follow each other exactly in line, so every jet is hitting a different spot at a slightly different altitude. Turbulence conditions can change in a matter of minutes - a report of "light chop" from one pilot may become "heavy turbulence" for another airplane 5 minutes behind and a few miles to either side.

There are several official turbulence levels. Light turbulence is an everyday thing, no question, and shouldn't disrupt anything going on in the airplane.  Moderate is not unusual, and may disrupt inflight food service. Heavy is uncommon, but is possible any time there is any lower level of turbulence - again, air is always in motion.  Severe turbulence is RARE. On the order of a lightning strike in your backyard. It's always possible, but you don't have to worry about getting hit by lightning every time there are clouds in the sky. In my flying career I have never experienced severe turbulence.

Having said all that, I will repeat that you needn't worry about the airplane. The jet you are in is  astoundingly strong and robust, and can handle the turbulence with little or no problem.  The real trouble all relates to the jelly-filled creatures inside the airplane. If you are not buckled in and your aircraft encounters heavy or severe turbulence, you will very likely find yourself flying up and being pinned to the ceiling, and enjoying the unique view of looking at the floor for several seconds as the aircraft drops several hundred feet without warning.

This drop will, with absolute certainty, violently reverse itself momentarily, and the airplane will rise up to meet you - hard - as you descend from the ceiling. Along with cups, saucers, bags, food, liquids, babies, books, phones, flight attendants, and the few passengers who were unlucky enough to be out of their seats or who couldn't be bothered to fasten their seat belts. Whatever is right below you is where you will come down, and it won't be neatly back into your seat. If you are not securely strapped in you will have zero influence on these events once they start, and you will almost certainly be injured.

Some level of turbulence is a normal part of flying in any airplane on any given day. I've had 16 hour flights without a bump. But a friend was on a jet to Asia last year; the pilot decided to overfly a typhoon, and they suffered heavy turbulence for several hours - stupid, needless, predictable and avoidable - and 280 passengers could only buckle up and hold on.

By far most flights will encounter nothing but light turbulence, which - again - is nothing to worry about. The odds are that you will never encounter severe turbulence - I haven't!  But I am always prepared for it by faithfully following the three rules above.

Save yourself. Sit down and stay buckled.

Please feel free to comment and share! Fly safe!

#Turbulence  #Lapbelt  #Airline  #Seatbelt