When on my flight back to the U.K. the pilot said he expected some turbulence three hours into the flight and hey presto it happened but how do they know that at a certain place in the flight it will strike , is it purely a met thing or what ? Listening on ch 9 i could hear a lot of other planes calling for alt changes but due to the severity it was bad on all levels from fl330-fl390,so we put up with it for about an hour.I just wondered how they know before they have taken off,it got me thinking and wondered if anyone knew exactly how?
By: EGNM - 8th April 2003 at 20:25
cheers Wys for that…
By: wysiwyg - 8th April 2003 at 20:17
Our briefing packs which we get presented with at check in contain various weather charts. These primarily include maps showing wind direction and strength at different altitudes and more importantly a chart called the upper significant weather chart. This shows (amongst other things) the position of the jetstreams (channels of air moving at anything up to 300 mph). These jetstreams are largely a byproduct of the cells Preston mentioned earlier. Flight within the jetstreams (even the strongest ones) is fairly calm. Where the turbulence lies is the points where you enter or exit the jetstream. Probably the best analogy I can give you is a running tap. Water flowing out of the tap is fast moving but relatively structured and steady in its flow. The water in the sink is relatively settled but the point where these meet is a riotous turmoil. The air around us is just another fluid.
By: keltic - 8th April 2003 at 19:14
Liverpool is always windy, nice but unconvenient for flying. I flew many times, and always a bit bumpy. Last time it was a bit too nasty so the pilot told us before taking off that it will be safe but a bit too many turbulences…..nothing. On flying they advised us about it…nothing. On landing in Madrid…again….a piece of cake. Sometimes extra exagerated warnings bring hysterical passengers. A lady suffered from a nervous crisis (she needed oxigen supply). You should trying landing in SCQ in winter. woww
By: carl727uk - 8th April 2003 at 12:26
I have just returned from a holiday in Sri Lanka. The outbound flight had terrible turbalance over Afganistan. It lasted for hours many people being sick, including myself, first time i have ever felt so ill on a plane.
By: SOFTLAD - 8th April 2003 at 05:02
The pilots do get the weather in advance on the flight plan.Also if it has not been forcast they get it by talking to other aircraft ahead of them.Sure our resident pilot can give us a better explanation ?
By: EGNM - 7th April 2003 at 23:16
Turbulence often occurs at the meeting of differant weather zones – mainly the meeting of the Hadly, Polar and Ferrell cells (basically differant weather zones situated over the earth) and also at the meeting points of the tropical submaritime climate with the cooler Polar climate – the tropical submaritime climate progresing further north than usual is what has given the UK the higher pressure and better weather (during the day) over the last 3 or 4 weeks (a bugger for night cargo operators tho with low level fog!)
By: T5 - 7th April 2003 at 22:15
Interesting question bartboy, I’ve flown transatlantic and we’ve been told of weather over Land’s End (3,500 miles away!!) and to expect turbulence.
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April 7, 2003 at 9:49 pm