Has anyone been in a bad turbulence? Does anyone know what causes it?

Question

I've been in a really bad turbulence, and now i'm scared of flying. Any body gone through that?

Answer 1

Turbulence is caused by convection currents which form from unequal heating of the earth's surface. This causes wind speed & wind direction to change as you incease with height in the atmosphere causing the turbulance to form.

You should only really be concerned about terbulance if a weather front is approaching a region ie. cold front or low-pressure center otherwise the atmosphere should be relatively stable.

Answer 2

experienced very bad.... things falling out of the overhead compartment just like in the movies

Answer 3

Wouldn't know the science behind it, but yeah, I've been in some pretty severe stuff.  I had the opportunity to talk to a pilot about it once and apparantly turbulance is felt more severely in the back of the plane than it is in the front, so asking for a seat closer to the front might help you.

There are two things I can think to help you with your fear (aside from drinking a lot).  1) Fall asleep for the duration of the flight :) or 2) rest assured in the knowledge that turbulance isn't that big a deal to a flight (even though it feels like it is).

This info comes from the pilot I spoke with and shows I've seen here and there on TV about airplanes .  There's an industry standard that planes have to be able to withstand 150% of the absolute worst weather they could possibly face in nature.   (When's the last time you've heard of a plane failing due to turbulance?).   Furthermore, for any possible mechanical malfunction, planes have 3 backup systems/scenarios that they can rely on.  Planes are truly the safest form of travel out there - one of the reasons we're scared of them is because we don't have control over them as passengers.

If you want to feel extra safe though, request a seat near the wings - that area is the most reinforced of the entire plane.

Answer 4

its normal in flights.  it is caused by stormy situations and abrupt air.  the piolits are pros so no worries.

Answer 5

yeah. essentially it is upward drafts or variations in wind that cause turbulence.