While people often choose to fly because of the many cheap travel optionssuch as cheapairplane tickets, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, theysometimes encounter rough flying while in the air.
The following are common myths about air turbulence,according to Everett Potter:
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Pilotsreceive plenty of warning about air turbulence. Air turbulence is created by atmospheric pressure, jet streams, and theair that circulates in mountainous areas, as well as weather fronts andthunderstorms. There is also such athing as clear air turbulence which occurs when air masses move without anyobvious visual clues such as clouds.
Turbulence is a normal part of flying andevery pilot knows that they might encounter it in the course of a givenflight. Unfortunately there is notechnology that provides pilot warning about approaching turbulence. Advance warning only comes if an aircraft isflying ahead of a plane at the same altitude and reports the turbulence to thenearest air traffic control.
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Severeturbulence can break an airplane apart. The last such incident occurred in 1966. Todays planes are designed and tested to withstand far more turbulencethan most fliers have ever experienced. To deal with turbulence pilots will adjust the speed according to themanufacturer to the best structural speed for a particular plane to handleheavy turbulence.
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When theseat belt light is off that it is OK to unfasten seat belts. That is a mistake since turbulence can arrivewithout warning, especially clear air turbulence. Passengers not wearing their seat belts aremore likely to be thrown from their seats, injuring themselves and otherpassengers.
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There isnothing passengers can do about turbulence. First and foremost they can wear their seat belts during the entireflight. They can also select flightsthat are likely to encounter less turbulence. Flights early in the day in the summer are more likely to besmoother. By selecting a seat over thewing of a plane a passenger is close to the center mass and thus feels less ofthe effect of turbulence.
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Injuriesfrom turbulence are common. In 2013 24people were injured by turbulence, 13 of them crew. Over the past ten years an average of 34 peopleannually have been injured in turbulence incidents, an average 20 of them crewmembers. When compared to over 800million passengers in the air each year the odds of you being injured byturbulence are very low.
The people most in risk of being injured byturbulence are flight attendants working a flight, lap children, and passengerswho do not fasten their seat belts.
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