Big plane vs small plane in turbulence
Hello all,
I am unable to find a definitive answer to this question anywhere online, and even pilots themselves seem like they don't know the answer.
The question is if a small plane and a very big plane went through the same area of turbulence/wind, does the small plane feel the effect PROPORTIONALLY GREATER when comparing the mass of both planes?
Personally I think is the answer is while the small plane will feel more turbulence, it is NOT proportionally greater.
I've taken off in a small 2-seater that weights around 750kg total in very windy conditions and it is bumpy, but not a "rollercoaster". I've also sat as a passenger in a 737 taking off in very windy conditions and it also bounces around a fair bit, but maybe not as much.
If it was proportional, then the small 2-seater would feel like the wildest rollercoaster ride, and you would feel nothing in the 737 as it weights almost 100 times more.
Can someone provide a more definitive answer to this question?