Neila83 - we operate with similar wx/turbulence conditions frequently, especially in the winter. So it's not uncommon to see weather charts similar to your link. It rarely reaches the level AA280 experienced.

clever wording, "should be avoided". makes me miss good old Swiss(air)

In the company I used to work for, regularly used to plan us along the jet stream within the turbulent area (inc ocl sevr) to make use of the tail wind & reduce the fuel burn. As there were often others there I guess we were not the only airline. Funny old thing s**d the pax save the money. I hated it but that is what you get when pax want the cheapest fare. :mad:

Just a couple of points.

Entering and leaving the jetstream can cause a bunch o turbulence, being right on the edge too.

IF you watch your OAT (or SAT or whatever) and you see a change in temp, it may be a warning of turbulence.

IF you ever want to see a hoot of a picture, see the film, "THE PILOT" with Cliff Robertson. It is pretty darn good. (if you like a bit of reality). There is one scene in which everyone is looking at the inside of the rudder trim cover plate on a DC8 and laughing.

SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW what they were looking at.

Its hard to find, but you might just learn something!

Nothing to do with cheap fares. Back in the era of expensive fares airlines made use of the jet stream!

Ht yep but not in the mod to severe turb part.

Ever since that movie I've always loved Cliff Robertson (God rest his soul), and considered him one of us, just for putting that scene in his movie. Nobody but a Douglas pilot could appreciate that trim cap scene.

That chart shows 2-3 two areas of CAT (clear air turb) within the yellow dotted lines along AA280's probable route. I cross the Pacific 2-4 times every month. If we avoided CAT forecast areas on every flight, we'd never fly.

changer...agree 100 percent, he was one of us. I knew a guy who gave Cliff Lessons, he flew the DC9 for the same place I work.

AS a movie it might be so so, as a PILOT thing, tis quite good. It is very interesting to see the rear fan on those engines. Douglas pilots know what its about!

I have a feeling that the passengers on this flight would be well served by watching "THE PILOT" and also "THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY".

oh well. I would be very concerned had BOEING said: WE POPPED A BUNCH OF RIVETS ON THIS PLANE>

I recall quite a while back suddenly running into your typical Roaring Forties unforecast Sev CAT going up to PEK. TAT dropped 5 deg in a split second but fortunately I already had the belt sign on while traipsing through mod turb. Lower levels not avbl as all the locals preplanned B300.

Bloody rough ride for an hour with continual eyeball bounce, but if the hatches and bums are already battened down there's no worry about the silly popular media and their idiotic circuses.

Radar
 

I wonder: the crew was not looking at the radar? Shove a CB is like playing roulette russ a.

changer:

No one but a Boeing pilot can appreciate the little hub caps on the control wheel (707 and 727 for sure).

I regularly fly past the east coast of Japan and its always bumpy - reminds me of the BOAC 707 that disintegrated in severe turbulence passing Mt Fuji BOAC Flight 911 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia