How bad is bad turbulence?
 

How bad is bad turbulence?

It's hard to compare one flight with another. If you're a nervous flyer, even the slightest jolt can be unnerving.

But what do pilots do when they hit rough air? What CAN they do even?

Also - are the small bumps in the air really just that - or are you moving a few feet at a time?

For example, the plane bounces along the runway as it taxis, and in the air, the bumps aren't often as bad - but because your senses are heightened, they just "feel" worse. So is it all in the mind?

Johnny there was a lot of discussion on this topic in the c/crew forum a while back under a thread relating to an incident on a Virgin flight.