One for pilots and PAX - turbulence
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I flew with Iberia from Tenerife South to Madrid and it was the worse turbulence I've ever experienced. I slept through the start of it, then I bashed my head on the window. I was feeling ok despite that until half of the passengers and flight attendants started to throw up. It was quite uncomftable having to sit beside someone who had thrown up all over their table which wasn't cleared up for a good 30 minutes.
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Back in 2000 I was on a Virgin 747 flight out of LGW where there was some interesting turbulence just after take-off. I'd had up-and-down stuff before, but this had some fun side-to-side motions as well, and overhead bins were popping open. I was just thinking 'wow, this is bumpy', the people across the aisle from me were praying. We were quite far back on that occasion, I suspect that it's worse back there than over the wing box.
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Yes - once on an internal flight in Pakistan between Islamabad & Lahore....
Flight was diverted to Multan due to massive thunderstorms in the Lahore area - we were in an F28 - and prior to landing in Multan we went through some dreadful turbulence - at one point we dropped like a stone for what seemed like 30 seconds. I'm sure it was more like 2 seconds but that is the only time I've ever felt slightly concerned whilst flying....
Flight was diverted to Multan due to massive thunderstorms in the Lahore area - we were in an F28 - and prior to landing in Multan we went through some dreadful turbulence - at one point we dropped like a stone for what seemed like 30 seconds. I'm sure it was more like 2 seconds but that is the only time I've ever felt slightly concerned whilst flying....
Supercharged PPRuNer
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Short answer - no. I'm afraid of spiders, but not turbulence.
Slightly longer answer - passengers and flight crews have very different perceptions of turbulence. Pilots fly every day and are used to it; what we would regard as 'light chop' would cause some passengers distress. 'Moderate turbulence' would have people throwing up down the back. I'm not afraid of turbulence because I know how strong airliners are - they have to be to withstand my landings. Turbulence has to worse than most pilots - let alone passengers - will ever experience before bits start breaking off, and airliners can sustain huge inflight overloads or damage and still land safely. Think of the Aloha 737 that lost a large part of its cabin roof, or the China Airlines 747 and TWA 727 that had serious high altitude upsets, performed aerobatics at transonic speeds on the way down, and still managed to land with various bits missing or hanging off).
That said, turbulence can be uncomfortable and fatiguing even when the autopilot is doing the flying, and we will do our best to avoid it. I am also much more aware of bumps and lurches when positioning in the cabin. I'm sure that having hands on the controls and eyes on the instruments helps insulate me from much of the discomfort.
Slightly longer answer - passengers and flight crews have very different perceptions of turbulence. Pilots fly every day and are used to it; what we would regard as 'light chop' would cause some passengers distress. 'Moderate turbulence' would have people throwing up down the back. I'm not afraid of turbulence because I know how strong airliners are - they have to be to withstand my landings. Turbulence has to worse than most pilots - let alone passengers - will ever experience before bits start breaking off, and airliners can sustain huge inflight overloads or damage and still land safely. Think of the Aloha 737 that lost a large part of its cabin roof, or the China Airlines 747 and TWA 727 that had serious high altitude upsets, performed aerobatics at transonic speeds on the way down, and still managed to land with various bits missing or hanging off).
That said, turbulence can be uncomfortable and fatiguing even when the autopilot is doing the flying, and we will do our best to avoid it. I am also much more aware of bumps and lurches when positioning in the cabin. I'm sure that having hands on the controls and eyes on the instruments helps insulate me from much of the discomfort.
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The Bay of Bengal/Andaman Sea is crap for turbulence.
I was once on a KL flight from LHR which got into the worst CAT I've ever known. An unsecured trolley cart wrought havoc in the next compartment. The plane was pitching all over the shop.
I was just sitting there with eyes tightly closed and 'doing a G SXTY', IE marvelling about what a superb bit of kit the 744 is.
The turbulence was that severe that the pilot started heading east towards Burma and ended up flying a ruddy great arc around the CAT. The route looked quite odd on the flytracker! Five or six people, including a CC member, were walking wounded when we got into KL.
I don't mind spiders.
I was once on a KL flight from LHR which got into the worst CAT I've ever known. An unsecured trolley cart wrought havoc in the next compartment. The plane was pitching all over the shop.
I was just sitting there with eyes tightly closed and 'doing a G SXTY', IE marvelling about what a superb bit of kit the 744 is.
The turbulence was that severe that the pilot started heading east towards Burma and ended up flying a ruddy great arc around the CAT. The route looked quite odd on the flytracker! Five or six people, including a CC member, were walking wounded when we got into KL.
I don't mind spiders.
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The worst bit of turbulence that i've experienced was back in May 2007 on a BA 744, whilst travelling from LHR to JFK
The flight had been uneventful until we starting flying over the tip of Canada. We experienced a couple of bumps here 'n there, but a few minutes later the turbulence was much stronger and your stomach "dropped" a couple of times. This carried on for a good 30/45 minutes.
Wasn't very scary for those who know that turbulence hardly bothers the aircraft (i.e me
). but there were a good few passengers in our cabin section that did not like what was going on what so ever.
===
The first time i've been properly scared about turbulence was in January 2007 when i was flying from FNC to LTN on a TOM 752.
As i hadn't been flying for ages, i developed a very minor "fear"
Before we tookoff, i was hoping that we wouldn't fly through any turbulence, and thankfully we did until we was on approach at Luton.
During this period, the turbulence was pretty rough and i just had visions of the aircraft plunging thousands of feet and into the ground below, obviusly i was being ridiculoud and we didn't!
The flight had been uneventful until we starting flying over the tip of Canada. We experienced a couple of bumps here 'n there, but a few minutes later the turbulence was much stronger and your stomach "dropped" a couple of times. This carried on for a good 30/45 minutes.
Wasn't very scary for those who know that turbulence hardly bothers the aircraft (i.e me
). but there were a good few passengers in our cabin section that did not like what was going on what so ever.===
The first time i've been properly scared about turbulence was in January 2007 when i was flying from FNC to LTN on a TOM 752.
As i hadn't been flying for ages, i developed a very minor "fear"
Before we tookoff, i was hoping that we wouldn't fly through any turbulence, and thankfully we did until we was on approach at Luton.
During this period, the turbulence was pretty rough and i just had visions of the aircraft plunging thousands of feet and into the ground below, obviusly i was being ridiculoud and we didn't!
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The worst turbulence I have ever experienced was on an Aden Airways DC3 in 1958 flying from Aden to Nairobi. A member of the cabin crew was walk up the aisle with a tray of cups in one hand and a coffee pot in the other, the next thing I saw was cups flying in every direction. then for the next two hours we encountered severe turbulence. One minute I was looking at the sky out of the window and the next at the ground. When we landed the pilot came into the cabin and said he had never experienced anything like before. I have never seen so many people being sick on an aircraft.
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I have to say the thought of severe turbulence is the one thing that puts that never fails to put the ****s up me even though I know the chances of encountering it (as a non-frequent flyer) are slim. I don't know if it's a myth or not, but sitting in the centre of the aircraft seems to help and of course avoiding flights on small regional jets! I don't fly that often - perhaps 20 legs each year - here are three probably inconsequential events that I remember beginning with the most recent:
1) Yesterday departed from NCE on a FR flight..after takeoff we ascended into thick cloud after about 1 minute. The plane was rolling left/right quite a bit for a further 10 minutes or so and scared the hell out of me and my fellow pax. Everyone was belted in so no problems with people/objects flying around the cabin.
2) Last Feb descended into BHX in a Force 7 - two female pax behind me screamed all the way down (I couldn't quite compete here
) Am I right in thinking landing in strong winds is always more uncomfortable than taking off?
3) Last year on a flight across the pond to JFK on an A330. Cabin service had to be stopped about three hours in - turbulence didn't last too long but it wasn't a pleasent experience.
It is during these moments that I take my hat off to cabin crew & pilots!
1) Yesterday departed from NCE on a FR flight..after takeoff we ascended into thick cloud after about 1 minute. The plane was rolling left/right quite a bit for a further 10 minutes or so and scared the hell out of me and my fellow pax. Everyone was belted in so no problems with people/objects flying around the cabin.
2) Last Feb descended into BHX in a Force 7 - two female pax behind me screamed all the way down (I couldn't quite compete here
) Am I right in thinking landing in strong winds is always more uncomfortable than taking off?3) Last year on a flight across the pond to JFK on an A330. Cabin service had to be stopped about three hours in - turbulence didn't last too long but it wasn't a pleasent experience.
It is during these moments that I take my hat off to cabin crew & pilots!
Gender Faculty Specialist
Have you ever been in turbulence which made you afraid?
Completely out of the blue on a really smooth day over Spain. Severe CAT gave us about 50 degrees of bank one way and then the other and a loss of about 400 feet in the space of about 5 seconds...it certainly concentrated the mind briefly!
But of course you have to sound really cool on the radio and the PA
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Thinking back a bit, what scares me about potential turbulence is the behaviour of some other passengers when the seatbelt sign gets turned off. On my last flight I was sat next to someone who just unfastened his seatbelt when the sign went off. He didn't get up, shift position or anything, he just took it off. I'm not too concerned if he head-butts the ceiling or the overhead lockers, but I'd much rather he didn't land on me on the way down (up?) again. I keep mine fastened, even though I loosen it once we've gained height.
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The worst turbulence - and violent weather...
Well, take the "3rd planet from the sun" and point to any spots...
I have flown there. Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania...
xxx
Yet I consider the USA Midwest has having the worst turbulences and violent clouds.
You can encounter "cumulo-granitos" aka CB that will dismantle your aeroplane.
If you are stupid enough to try to tangle with them.
For me, as a rule, I leave them on the side, by 50 NM if need be.
I do not particularly enjoy to have my coffee wetting my pants.
Oklahoma, or Kansas, and a few other states around there can be extremely nasty.
Nastier than Pakistan, Bengal, Uganda, Phillipines or the North Pacific.
xxx
Happy contrails
Well, take the "3rd planet from the sun" and point to any spots...
I have flown there. Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania...
xxx
Yet I consider the USA Midwest has having the worst turbulences and violent clouds.
You can encounter "cumulo-granitos" aka CB that will dismantle your aeroplane.
If you are stupid enough to try to tangle with them.
For me, as a rule, I leave them on the side, by 50 NM if need be.
I do not particularly enjoy to have my coffee wetting my pants.
Oklahoma, or Kansas, and a few other states around there can be extremely nasty.
Nastier than Pakistan, Bengal, Uganda, Phillipines or the North Pacific.
xxx
Happy contrails
I fly quite a bit and have had some rough stuff around Asia but nothing that was scary - uncomfortable, occasionally dramatic (flying in to HK just after a typhoon had passed by) - but I guess compared to what pilots are used to fairly minor stuff.
Once however a good few years back I was flying with some mates back from a holiday in USA. Out of Boston with Virgin on a 747. After a while it got a bit choppy - my mates who didn't fly very often looked a bit alarmed so I said 'Oh it's nothing - chill out - quite normal'. They relaxed... a little later it really was all over the place (or so it felt down the back). Cabin crew were strapped in, some screams and stuff flying about.
One mate turned to me 'So LT is this still normal?'
'No - I'm ****ing ***ting it now!' says I my knuckles white grabbing the armrests...
Their faces were a picture. Cheered me up no end.
Once however a good few years back I was flying with some mates back from a holiday in USA. Out of Boston with Virgin on a 747. After a while it got a bit choppy - my mates who didn't fly very often looked a bit alarmed so I said 'Oh it's nothing - chill out - quite normal'. They relaxed... a little later it really was all over the place (or so it felt down the back). Cabin crew were strapped in, some screams and stuff flying about.
One mate turned to me 'So LT is this still normal?'
'No - I'm ****ing ***ting it now!' says I my knuckles white grabbing the armrests...
Their faces were a picture. Cheered me up no end.
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Twin Otter with Grand Canyon Airways in the afternoon from Grand Canyon Airport to Boulder city.
I was at the back near the door with my brother. He is deaf so could'nt hear my wife and niece screaming !
Apparently it is always turbulent due to the canyon sides.
Loads of fun though !
I was at the back near the door with my brother. He is deaf so could'nt hear my wife and niece screaming !
Apparently it is always turbulent due to the canyon sides.
Loads of fun though !
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Most memorable turbulence:
Los Angeles-London, BA 747-200. Laker DC10 ahead of us had reported severe turbulence. Apparently caused by summer sun heating the air above frozen wastes.
Auckland-Christchurch, Air New Zealand 747-200.
Caracas-Port of Spain, Aeropostal DC9.
[On both the above two I remember female passengers sitting next to me (strangers, I might add) clutching my hand in sheer terror!]
Valencia-Stansted, Ryanair. What was most notable about this turbulence was not its severity (it was slight) but that it lasted for most of the journey. The seat belt signs, which had been switched on over Spain, were not switched off again until we were over the French coast and had started our descent.
Los Angeles-London, BA 747-200. Laker DC10 ahead of us had reported severe turbulence. Apparently caused by summer sun heating the air above frozen wastes.
Auckland-Christchurch, Air New Zealand 747-200.
Caracas-Port of Spain, Aeropostal DC9.
[On both the above two I remember female passengers sitting next to me (strangers, I might add) clutching my hand in sheer terror!]
Valencia-Stansted, Ryanair. What was most notable about this turbulence was not its severity (it was slight) but that it lasted for most of the journey. The seat belt signs, which had been switched on over Spain, were not switched off again until we were over the French coast and had started our descent.
Not yet, but.
Best one was on a flight out to Preveza from the UK. Completely smooth flight, and had asked for a cockpit visit for the kids - then about ten and five.
So, up we go, just descending over the Italian coast, pointing out the geography.
Sudden CAT, drivers suggest return to seats.
So we do, as CAT disappears.
Absolutely brilliant, apologising to each row as we passed.
Best one was on a flight out to Preveza from the UK. Completely smooth flight, and had asked for a cockpit visit for the kids - then about ten and five.
So, up we go, just descending over the Italian coast, pointing out the geography.
Sudden CAT, drivers suggest return to seats.
So we do, as CAT disappears.
Absolutely brilliant, apologising to each row as we passed.
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Never had turbulence that scared the wits out of me. I'm fairly clear-headed where that's concerned. When it's my time to go it's my time to go... and if that's turbulence taking out the alu tube I'm in, then hey, there's nothing I can do about it... might as well hold on and 'enjoy' the ride. I have all the faith in the three (now two) folks up front with their hands on the yoke. If I can't have faith in them, I might as well crawl into a hole and never come out again.
:-\
S.
:-\
S.
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The worst turbulance I have expirienced would've been flying back to Heathrow From Milan.
Finals into Heathrow we had moderate turbulance with a very strong crosswind from the south west. Remember seeing the runway and the aircraft flaring, next thing the aircraft suddenly banks to the right and we have an imidiate go-around, within less than a second we had a mexican wave of sick (
). Landed after second try.
After the flight I found out that the aircraft had almost landed on the grass, when we flared we caught a strong gust
Was I afraid?..... I was ****ing my self.
Finals into Heathrow we had moderate turbulance with a very strong crosswind from the south west. Remember seeing the runway and the aircraft flaring, next thing the aircraft suddenly banks to the right and we have an imidiate go-around, within less than a second we had a mexican wave of sick (
). Landed after second try.After the flight I found out that the aircraft had almost landed on the grass, when we flared we caught a strong gust
Was I afraid?..... I was ****ing my self.
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Enjoyed it?? Bugger that off I hate it! Worst I've had is an upset not just turb. FL 370, doing .80 I (we) met some mountain wave and went up to .87 right wing high speed stalled, and we dropped 400ft. Ouch!
75-2 - Only ever flight I've had when ALL the crew hugged me after the flight.
Still in touch with one of them.....
75-2 - Only ever flight I've had when ALL the crew hugged me after the flight.
Still in touch with one of them.....
