I've always wondered this.
When airplanes go through turbulence you can feel the plane being jostled up and down and from side to side. But in an airplane true scale is so hard to grasp because you're moving through the air at such high speeds. I'm wondering how much (as in, measured in actual FEET), is the airplane actually being jostled from its regular, smooth flying position.
In other words, when I feel the airplane move up and down and my cup of coke almost spills, how much did the airplane just drop in the air? 5 feet? 10 feet? 100 feet? more?
2007-03-18 18:36:19 · 8 answers · asked by worldpeace 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
In severe turbulance in a large airplane, you may drop or rise as much as 100 ft. with an air pocket... The only way to really be able to tell though is to be in the cockpit... The worst turbulance I've ever faced as a pilot was 40-50 ft. changes and that was wild... I hadnt ever seen anything like it from the cockpit or my hundreds of hours as a passenger...
2007-03-19 09:22:50 · answer #1 · answered by ALOPILOT 5 · 11⤊ 0⤋
The better question would be the rate of climb or descent. You'll hear of instances where people without seatbelts on are lifted off their chair and hit their head on the ceiling - so the rate of descent would be at least zero gravity.
Probably no more than 10-40 feet but in some really bad situations, it would be much more - especially if the pilot compensates by following the dive or ascent.
2007-03-19 01:40:15 · answer #2 · answered by wigginsray 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The turbulence is normally due to Thermals causing an extreme down draft or updraft. A sudden down draft will actually cause objects inside the aircraft to experience negative 'G's' and become weightless.
At low altitudes this is caused a wind shear and caused several fatal crashes.
I believe I've heard of rare occasions when Aircraft at altitudes loose several hundred feet before stabilizing. .
At altitude these phenomenon occur because of different 'Jet Stream' velocity, called 'Clear Air Turbulence' can occur without warning and is one reason why you should always keep your seat belt fastened.
Rising thermals are used by gliders and para-gliders to extend their flight duration.
2007-03-19 06:41:09 · answer #3 · answered by Caretaker 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I believe I saw on the news one time when a plane hit unexpected turbulence and dropped 100 feet in a split second. One person died from this big "bump". So, I bet most of the time it's just 10 or 20 feet or even less.
Or, if it is bigger distances, it is probably more gradual.
2007-03-19 01:39:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I all from 1-20 feet unless you hit large air pockets then you can get all the way up to 100 feet those aren't pretty but that never happens
2007-03-19 03:32:33 · answer #5 · answered by Biking Man 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on the turbulence...but between 0 and 25 feet normally. the 'suddenness' is what you feel. it could be 2 feet, but dropped all of a sudden and stopped all of a sudden, you really feel it.
2007-03-19 01:39:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not sure of the altitude, but as said above, it is more of a rate issue.
As far as the oxygen issue that chad brought up, he must have had an experience with a "lack of oxygen" to the brain at some point.
2007-03-19 05:15:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Actually think of it like this. Because the oxygen concentrated in side the cabin should be a little above the oxygen outside, (any drop under 30 feet would be noticeable in only trembles after about 60 the plane will more noticably vibrate and shake)~nothing to do with oxygen levels
Now back to the oxygen thing if a plane drops a hundred feet -depending on how fast-could kill you because of the sudden change in altitude doesnt give your body time to react so if its below 50 its pretty normal
2007-03-19 01:48:32 · answer #8 · answered by chad e 2 · 0⤊ 8⤋