Turbulence en route to HK?
Join Date: Feb 2000
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If you put the seat belts on for light chop, they might as well be spring loaded on for flights across the equator. I guess its all about judgement, a good way of determining how bumpy it is in the cabin is to ask them. The reason it stays on for extended periods often has nothing to do with flight crew attitudes, its because we forget.
I concur with SIC and believe the switch should actually be renamed the turbulence damping switch, off=on; on=off. As for litigation, they'll sue anyway. And thats why you tell them to strap in even if the signs are off. This incident though sounds much more serious with "luggage all around the aircraft". The last time I checked even the best seat belt in the world won't stop a 7kg weight falling on your head.
Ghost
I concur with SIC and believe the switch should actually be renamed the turbulence damping switch, off=on; on=off. As for litigation, they'll sue anyway. And thats why you tell them to strap in even if the signs are off. This incident though sounds much more serious with "luggage all around the aircraft". The last time I checked even the best seat belt in the world won't stop a 7kg weight falling on your head.
Ghost
Join Date: May 2007
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Question for the pros
Just a curious SLF here. Fairly seasoned for my age, and spent most of my youth as SLF on Twin Otter flying in and out of world's shortest commercial runway, so I guess I consider myself semi-seasoned. Anywho, what do you aviation pro's consider as "light chop" vs. "turbulence". My travel for work lately involved flying as pax from southwest US to midwest, and being routed over the Rocky Mountains. Most of the flights involve announcements from the captain as "cabin crew please take your seats" (and always as I'm being passed my hot tea). On my last such flight (equipment = 737-300), which was a night flight, mostly business folks trying to calm and cool, we flew through a major cold front over the rockies (same storm dumped 12 inches snow in midwest and knocked out power). It was a 3 hour flight and for 45 mins straight, I looked out at lightning, could see the wings moving up and down violently (I know their meant to) and could hear mine and other laptops banging around in overhead bin. Is this considered light chop or turbulence? I was on the verge of tears (felt quite embarrassed) so just wondering if you were flightdeck crew if your palms would be sweating in this situation?
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Turbulence....the definition
Light chop...The F/O keeps crossing i(s) and dotting T(s) on the flight report.
Moderate chop....The No1 worries her IUD may become dislodged.
Severe chop...You can't read the instruments...and the F/O has stopped eating
Light chop...The F/O keeps crossing i(s) and dotting T(s) on the flight report.
Moderate chop....The No1 worries her IUD may become dislodged.
Severe chop...You can't read the instruments...and the F/O has stopped eating
Join Date: Jan 2007
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I'll add my vote along with those who say that it always gets a bit bumpy about the time that meals are served.
Surely the lesson to impart is that turbulence is possible at any time, but when the seatbelt sign is on, it's even more likely? Leaving the sign on all the time makes it meaningless, because there's no information available to pax as to the risk level of getting up to visit the toilet, or to stretch legs (is DVT or turbulence more dangerous? Discuss...)
I keep my belt on whenever I'm seated, it doesn't hurt and in the grand scheme of cattle-class seat discomfort it's not noticeable,.
Oh, and what happens when you're on one of these mythical A380s with in-flight gym? Will the exercise bikes have belts on them?
Surely the lesson to impart is that turbulence is possible at any time, but when the seatbelt sign is on, it's even more likely? Leaving the sign on all the time makes it meaningless, because there's no information available to pax as to the risk level of getting up to visit the toilet, or to stretch legs (is DVT or turbulence more dangerous? Discuss...)
I keep my belt on whenever I'm seated, it doesn't hurt and in the grand scheme of cattle-class seat discomfort it's not noticeable,.
Oh, and what happens when you're on one of these mythical A380s with in-flight gym? Will the exercise bikes have belts on them?
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Why give people the choice, what advantage is to be gained by not wearing a seatbelt? i believe it should be standard practice for passengers to have a fastened seatbelt when seated..I have been a frequent flyer for nearly forty years and it hasn't bothered me..
When actually in turbulence it is a very important that the Captain keeps the passengers advised of estimated time of duration of the bad stuff to reassure the nervous flyers. My wife gets into a pretty bad state when in turbulence but a progress report and a few reassuring words from the flightdeck makes the difference..
When actually in turbulence it is a very important that the Captain keeps the passengers advised of estimated time of duration of the bad stuff to reassure the nervous flyers. My wife gets into a pretty bad state when in turbulence but a progress report and a few reassuring words from the flightdeck makes the difference..
