Turbulence in an airplane: how dangerous is this?

Those who prefer to fly on travel, certainly for once experienced turbulence in the plane. And although this phenomenon is observed not in every flight, it is not superfluous to learn more about it. As a rule, everything happens as follows: the commander announces that the aircraft is in turbulence, asks passengers to sit down and fasten their seat belts. And then begins the so-called chatterbox, sometimes there are cases when luggage racks open, and things scatter around the cabin. Yes, it may seem very scary, but most often there is no reason to be frightened, although at such times some passengers may experience nausea. What should one know about turbulence in an airplane?

First of all, it does not depend on the qualification of the pilot. He does not shake the plane, and not always he can avoid getting into the blubber for various reasons, which will be discussed below. You just need to know that such a phenomenon as a zone of turbulence in an airplane, in most cases outside its power. As a rule, autopilot is disabled only in the most serious cases. And it is necessary to remember that no pilot will fly straight to the zone of turbulence, If he can avoid getting into it.

So why is this phenomenon sometimes observed, and sometimes not? What does it even depend on? The point is in air flows: ascending and descending. Most often these vortex currents are in the center of masses of thunderclouds. But sometimes they are observed on the edge of a dangerous area, and their presence is not so easy to determine. Another possible cause is the so-called jet stream. These are flows whose horizontal or vertical velocity changes dramatically. Most often this phenomenon is observed near the eastern shores of North America.

Turbulence in an airplane can be observed even in a cloudless sky, and it is not always possible to quickly leave the danger zone, especially where the movement of the aircraft is rather dense. The problem is that it is necessary to respect The distance between the airliners in order to avoid their collision, therefore the flight route should be very strict in such cases.

There is no evidence that turbulence itself can seriously damage an airliner. They are designed in such a way that even with the strongest bolt, they will not fall apart in the air, it is checked specifically. Nevertheless, one should not underestimate turbulence in an airplane. Even if it seems that the danger is low, it is necessary to follow the instructions of the crew members and messages on the light boards, Buckle up and stay calm. Those who disregard security measures risk injuries right up to very serious fractures.

Sometimes vortex flows are also found over airports. This is already more dangerous, since the aircraft is at a low altitude and can collide with the ground. Nevertheless, in any situation that the crew deems dangerous, it is more likely that a decision will be made to land at a spare airfield. Do not be afraid if the flight attendants and the pilot are reporting this, and the window is not a cloud. As a rule, passengers simply can not see such problems, so you do not need to be nervous: the crew is always primarily concerned about the safety of passengers.