Whether it’s an hour flight or long-haul, there’s one thing most travellers usually pray to avoid: turbulence. After the stress of getting through security and finally boarding, I usually breathe a sigh of relief after I plonk my bottom down in the seat. Made it.

Well, almost. 

Successfully made it on the flight, but now I’m hoping for smooth sailing and setting my feet back on firm ground. The fear of turbulence is common. Though turbulence doesn’t really bother me, I’d rather it doesn’t happen on my flight. But some people are truly petrified. I remember flying with a colleague who was gripping the armrests so tightly during a bout of turbulence that I thought she’d pull them off. 

What causes turbulence?

Without getting too scientific, turbulence is a disturbance in the regular flow of air. These irregular motions in the atmosphere create air currents that put pressure on the plane’s wings, causing bumps and bounces during a flight.

The good news is turbulence doesn’t phase pilots at all – it’s all part of aviation. They rarely complete a flight without experiencing some level of turbulence. 

Is there a way to avoid turbulence?

Former Qantas Captain, Trevor Aldous, explains the time of day has some influence on low level turbulence, with early morning generally better.

“Due to mechanical mixing of hot air rising, once you’re above 10,000 feet, turbulence is produced from mountain waves and as you go higher, jet streams become predominant. Generally, cloudy days, windy days and very hot days are predictors of possible turbulence.” 

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“The Doppler weather radars onboard are getting better at displaying areas of possible turbulence so the flight crew can navigate around such areas. As there are a lot of aircraft in the air, pilots also report turbulent areas to following aircraft.”

He also explains that depending on the quality of the airline, the captain can sometimes make the call to delay the flight during terrible weather. Such calls are generally made by airlines who can cushion the blow of such costs between putting all crew and passengers in a hotel, absorbing airport fees and the like.  

Is there a better place to sit?

“The middle of the airplane is considered a more stable position than the ends – and of course First Class makes it seem more tolerable.” 

Tackle your fear head on

Fear of turbulence usually goes hand-in-hand with uneasy fliers. Whether it comes from watching too many episodes of Air Crash Investigation or a bad experience, there are courses to help overcome your fear. There’s a Fear of Flying course at Flight Experience Sydney or online course available nationally through Fear of Flying. Some courses even include taking a flight in a simulator with a commercial pilot where they go through safety measures to help put your mind at ease when turbulence does occur. 

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