Eli5: why isn’t a plane experiencing turbulence considered dangerous?
In: Engineering
Planes are engineered in such a way that so long as you stay under a certain speed it will go into an aerodynamic stall in turbulence before any structural damage occurs.
Source: Am a pilot
Usually it’s not a big deal but it can cause harm. Really depends how strong it is
https://thebulkheadseat.com/severe-turbulence-injures-16-people-onboard-a-united-flight-between-los-angeles-and-newark/
Turbulence both is and isn’t dangerous depending on the context. Turbulence isn’t dangerous to the plane, but it may be dangerous to the passengers onboard the plane. If you were walking down the aisle of a plane and hit some significant turbulence, you might be thrown about, injuring yourself or others. That is why it’s important to keep your seatbelt buckled, especially when the captain is turned on the passenger seatbelt sign.
The plan itself would likely be fine. Remember, they fly planes into hurricanes to study them.
See, rationally I know that flying is very safe, but I also feel that everyone saying “it’s just like going over a bump in a car” is fundamentally a lunatic. It does not feel remotely the same and if you don’t understand the difference deep in your soul then our brains are just made of different stuff. I wish I could be like you
A fact that helped me get over this. Consider all the planes that fly around without airlines full of passangers who want a smooth ride. Now realize that those pilots floor it A to B, turbulence be damned. The few people on board don’t mind so they just go faster.
The planes are engineered to more than handle turbulence of any kind, the only reason its avoided in travel situations is its not fun for a paying customer.
It can definitely be dangerous to people without seat belts on. If you have an infant in your lap, make sure they’re buckled in too. If the plan suddenly drops, the person holding the infant won’t always have the time to react and the infant can hit the ceiling. A friend of mine is an attendant and she has seen this happen a few times, sometimes with really bad consequences for the infant.
A plane during turbulence can be thought of as a strawberry in jello. The strawberry might move up and down with the jello, but it will not fall
Turbulence at high altitudes isn’t a significant concern as planes can handle variations in lift caused by wind changes. Near the ground during landing, turbulence can be riskier, but pilots are trained to recognize and avoid it. Aircraft wings are designed to handle loads far beyond normal conditions, ensuring safety even in turbulent weather.
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