I want to know about - Turbulence

Turbulence is probably the most common reason for a fear of flying.  Most people believe that turbulence is dangerous, in fact during turbulence the pilots remain in complete control of the aircraft, and it is no harder to fly an aircraft during turbulence than it is in normal flight.

Many people claim that they have been in an aircraft, which has fallen thousands of feet during turbulence.  Curiously, they never make claims that the aircraft has climbed thousands of feet.  It certainly would defy the laws of science if all the air in an area of turbulence were just falling; one might wonder what fills the space that it leaves.

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The truth is that aircraft go up and down during turbulence but the reason that we believe that they are always falling is that the sensation or falling is much more alarming and unpleasant than the sensation of climbing. Turbulence is caused by the movement of the air.  At the equator, air rises because it is heated by the sun and this air is replaced by cold air which travels from the Poles resulting in a flow of air from the north or south towards the equator. To hear more about turbulence visit our digital library now >

Movement of air in jet streams across the world cause rough ai rr which in turn can feel bumpy when you fly through it		Hot air balloon rising on due to the hot air inside it shows how different types of air can rise and fall.		Air rising over a power station and flying through the rising air would be bumpy but perfectly safe.		traveling in and aircraft as it passes through this rising air you will feel it as a bump

At the same time because the world is rotating and the air is not glued to the surface of the earth the air stays still while the world spins around under it.  This causes the winds to change direction.  When these flows of air collide with each other, they cause turbulence.  In the same way that two rivers meeting will cause currents and eddies and make a boat bounce around in the water.  Turbulence is just the airborne and invisible version of this.

A hot air balloon rises because the air inside has been heated up by the burner underneath; similarly any air which is heated up for example over a town, will do the same thing, and rise.  If you are traveling in and aircraft as it passes through this rising air you will feel it as a bump.

The second picture shows how hot air rising from a power station rises to form a cloud; flying through the rising air would be bumpy and so would flying through the descending air that's replacing it.  Both though would be perfectly safe.  Normally the source of the rising air would not be so obvious of course, for example another visual clue to rising air would be fluffy white cumulus clouds.  Turbulence is also caused when the wind blows against hills and is displaced up and around them.

Finally remember that turbulence is uncomfortable but not dangerous and that weather maps and reports show pilots where the areas of turbulence can be expected so that they can be avoided by climbing, descending, or flying around them.

Remember; Always secure your seat belt as tightly as you can in turbulence as it helps you feel more comfortable.  And as you settle into your seat make sure that you keep tightening it.  To hear more about turbulence visit our digital library now >