Turbulence. The nervous travelers’ worst nightmare. These unexpected bumps can come out of nowhere and turn a smooth flight into a rollercoaster ride. And for the 25% of people who have a fear of flying, this can ruin a travel experience altogether. However what if I were to tell you that atmospheric turbulence is extremely common and that they are almost always completely harmless to both the airplanes and the passengers?
Yes, it’s true. Turbulence happens all of the time, but in over 100+ years of commercial aviation, they have only caused incidents in 0.0001% of flights. This is because of two reasons. One, planes are designed to be able to fly through atmospheric disruptions like wind and thermal turbulence which are caused by the earth’s climate. A huge misconception is that turbulence could rip the wings off of a plane or cause severe structural damage. In reality, a modern-day aircraft can have wing flex up to 45 degrees from the normal position allowing for flexibility during adverse weather.
Not only is an airplane’s infrastructure able to withstand turbulence but the technology inside the plane is improving all the time. Pilots are able to identify places of potential turbulence and avoid them for both passenger comfort and safety. In more recent years planes have even been equipped with technology to warn of microbursts which are potentially fatal weather systems that occur low to the ground. Improved radar systems as well as warnings by weather administrations also lower the risk of turbulent weather.
Travel can be an extremely stressful process with the combination of unpredictability and the hurried rush of flying. But rest assured that turbulence should not be part of that stress.
Pro Tip – For those looking to avoid turbulence it is best to book flights early in the morning. Thermal convection has not yet begun which creates a low risk for turbulence compared to the afternoon and late evening!
1 – According to studies conducted by the Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders
