What Airplane Turbulence Is And Why It's No Big Deal

Airplane turbulence may seem like the end of the road but statistically, there is no data of a plane crash caused by turbulence. Here is why turbulence is caused and why it should stop you from booking your next flight.

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Following is the transcript of the video:

Why turbulence is no big deal. It can feel like the scariest part of flying, but turbulence is no cause for alarm. 

Turbulence is a sudden change in airflow. It can be caused by a number of factors. The most common cause is turbulent air in the atmosphere. 

Jet streams trigger sudden changes in wind speed that can rock the plane. Another type is thermal turbulence. It's created by hot rising air, usually from cumulus clouds or thunderstorms. Mechanical turbulence is caused by the landscape. Mountains or tall buildings can distort the wind flow in the sky above them. 

Airplanes can also create turbulence. The wings cause wake turbulence as it passes through the air. This can affect planes flying behind one another. It's why planes avoid taking the same flight path on take offs and landings. Pilots and air traffic control do a lot to avoid turbulence.

But even when they do run into it, the risk is low. Modern aircraft are built to withstand even severe turbulence. They can quickly rise and fall up to 100 feet. As a result, turbulence hasn't caused a plane crash in over 40 years. 

Unfortunately, it has been on the rise. Since 1958, turbulence rose 40-90% over Europe and North America. Studies suggest global warming could cause it to be worse by 2050. 

When booking seats, aim for ones closest to the wings. These will be the smoothest in turbulence. For now, trust your pilot, be smart and buckle up.

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[hrrid]

The only thing that stresses me when flying is turbulence, i really am like just holding tight the whole flight, and even the smallest bumps make me wanna scream lol

[NilamjyotiSharma]

People turn religious in the flight during turbulances😂

[daemonrightnow.]

why do airlines not show this on their safety briefs

[mdeezyreacts]

Whos here from the Singapore airlines news?

[jairmaldonado]

Who’s here after the video of the guy on the plane screaming WHATS GOING ON

[emmas]

This will never relax me at all because i've always wondered to myself "what if THIS time, this specific plane that i'm in crashs ? Like it's so random, what if that one thing goes wrong ", i'll always have the phobia of it

[Skybar]

whats worse is waking up in the middle of a turbulence....I almost shat my pants thinking the plane was going down.

[uoppsdnsu]

Turbulence does not affect planes:

1:23: plane noes dives

[__]

What impresses me most about this content is the fact that someone took the time out to animate the ferris wheel @ 1:30

[msjaffacake]

Just got off a plane journey yesterday. It's not so much the shaking turbulence, it's when the plane drops suddenly for a few seconds. Feels like a lift dropping. I was starting to freak out a bit 😔 it really puts me off going abroad for holidays. It's when we're descending to land that's the worst and take off, that moment when you feel you are no longer on the ground that weightlessness 😭

[MattB]

No big deal, as someone dies today on a Singapore airlines flight and 30 injured due to turbulence lol

[Fireboy]

Bruh dont tell me to relax when my plane dropped 2, 000 feet in 2 seconds and making my heart go to my ass

[LappyLP]

I work in a airplane manufacturing company we test airplane wings to their full limit I can just tell you you can bend a airplane wing up to 90° it won't tear apart its very normal that the wings are swinging up and down it might look terrifying but it has to swing the material is like rubber so it can take forces without breaking if the wing is made out hard material it wouldn't swing and instantly break in 100 pieces try it out with a rubber for a pencil and a ruler try to bend those you will see what I mean

[bannshees]

On my first ever plane flight, there was very severe turbulence and the people I was traveling with all said it was the worst turbulence they had experienced. ON MY FIRST TIME. I was terrified

[stevenreichertart]

“Turbulence is caused by turbulent air.” OK got it.

[Fleed]

The video could have been 1:30 without those annoying narrator pauses.

[grangermigel]

Dad taught me that it was because the plane hit the cloud when I was 5 years old.

[traindude]

I searched for this video after getting off a scary flight from Izmir to Istanbul, coming back from vacation. While descending over the Sea of Marmara (during the 2018 September Medicane) the plane shook violently and it was the worst turbulence I had ever experienced. (And I am someone who flies a lot) I kept telling myself that everything is fine and this is normal, but I couldn't help but feel terrified. Glad to say, I am on the ground and safe and sound. :D

[CoddiwomplingMiguel]

May not be that dangerous but sure is still uncomfortable.

[sqwop]

"turbulence hasn't caused a plane crash in over 40 years" meanwhile all the planes that crash "we don't know what the cause was"