i HATE it, what causes it, and how dangerous is it???
Whats the best way to deal with it, apart from stabbing myself in the eye!?!?!?
2006-07-23 10:29:17 · 8 answers · asked by SUPER-GLITCH 6 in Travel ➔ Air Travel
I was an Air Traffic Controller once and I've flown a few miles. Turbulance in a plane is the same as an uneven surface on a highway to an auto.
It is safe unless SEVERE but if severe you will be told to strap in and you will not enjoy it!
No matter how bad the turbulance is for you today, your Captain has been in MUCH worse. He is up front flying the plane and he will be going home tonight to his wife and kids, same as yesterday and every day for the past thirty years.
If you think this way you will realise why flying is safer than being in bed
2006-07-23 10:32:44 · answer #1 · answered by knoWall 4 · 4⤊ 2⤋
To understand what is turbulance first you have to know how a plane flies. I am not an expert but I will give it a try.
Planes use the difference of pressure to each side of their wings to fly. The wings are shaped in a way that the presure of air is les on top and more at the bottom. That difference is creating lift and the plane flies. To achieve that you need a constant flow of air. The smoother the flow of the smoother the flight is.
Turbulance is created by different flows of air. The causes of these flows of air are many. Some of them are atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts or thunderstorms. In all cases the effects are the same.
What happens is that these causes disturb the flow of air. For example you can take the cold and warm air flows. The cold air is heavier thus it is creating downward flows and warm air is lighter and creates upwards flows. Usually while the planes fly they come across these kinds of air streams. These streams have an effect on the air pressure in each side of the wings. For example a stream of warm were creates more air pressure at the bottom of the wing and less at the top making the plane to sift up.
These flows are not constant and make the plane shake During all flights you have turbulance but there are so weak that you do not understand them. If you sit by a window at an airplane look at the wings and you will notice that they are constantly moving because the pressure on each side changes.
The modern planes are very safe. They are designed to be able to stand strong turbulance without a problem. Very few accidents have been reported because of turbulance and those were result of extremely bad weather conditions. Moreover the pilots are well trained for these kind of conditions and even if the loose the control of the plane (which has never happened in comercial flyghts) they know how to regain it.
Turbulance can be stressfull for the passengers but you have nothing to worry about. You just have to remain clam and wait untill it is over. A good way to overcome your fear is to read about planes and aviation. You will then understand better that turbulance is not problem for modern planes and the materials used today make sure that even in strong turbulance the plane does not suffer any structural damage.
2006-07-23 18:04:38 · answer #2 · answered by Gke 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turbulence is caused when bodies of air moving at different speeds meet. This can form what is commonly called air pockets.
As a passenger, there isn't much you can do about it other than try to relax. If you are a pilot, you would need special equipment to see turbulence that may be circumvented. It is invisible to the eye and to radar.
Learn more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear-Air_Turbulence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbulence
2006-07-23 17:43:26 · answer #3 · answered by LovingMother 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
turbulance is caused by air resistance and wind. depending on the strength of the wind and the air resistance it can be dangerous. but pilots today are trained well enough to cope with it. the best way to deal with it is not to fly and stabbing yourself in the eye wont help at all!
2006-07-23 17:35:58 · answer #4 · answered by Bunnygirl24 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't quote me on this but i believe it is caused by a fluctuation in air pressure, when you travel through low pressure you will drop and the opposite with high pressure. Sorry there is nothing you can do apart from realising how many people travel this way every day, and thus how safe it is. If you think about it, it's no different from travelling on a car or in a train with your eyes closed. It's a bit unsettling but perfectly safe. All the best
2006-07-23 17:34:52 · answer #5 · answered by codge 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it just when u hit a dense cloud, nothing to worry about!
hehe.
2006-07-23 17:38:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's thermal.
2006-07-23 17:39:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's cause by God farting. Hold your breath cause it's a stinker.
2006-07-23 17:36:42 · answer #8 · answered by york_hellen 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋