Everyone who´s ever flown has experienced air turbulence, and it looms large among the fears of nervous flyers – seven out of ten of them, according to surveys. But it should reassure everyone to know that turbulence is for the most part not actually dangerous. Here´s why, along with some strategies for easing your fears about this common atmospheric phenomenon.
First of All, What Exactly Is Turbulence?
From a passenger´s perspective, turbulence is experiencing a “bump” in the air. To compare it to other means of transportation, it’s similar to the bumps we might encounter on a road while driving, or a boat when there’s a bit of a swell: they move, change their attitude, but continue on their way without problems. Essentially, it´s caused by changes in the direction of the wind, and these changes are noticeable in the altitude of the plane (which can change) or its attitude (it can swing slightly or moderately). The wind changes are due to certain atmospheric phenomena such as clouds, mountain waves, storms, or the jet stream (which we covered in this post about the Coriolis effect); these phenomena can also be physical, such as proximity to another, heavier aircraft. Granted, these sudden movements can be a bit jarring, but they are absolutely normal and pilots are very used to dealing with them. So if you´re upset by turbulence, you may have in the past been surprised to see how calmly cabin crews take it.
Why Turbulence Isn´t Dangerous
They´re completely predictable. Pilots know in advance when their aircraft will enter a zone of turbulence; that is why we hear announcements as well as visual warnings to fasten our seatbelts. Normally the turbulence ceases after a minutes or even seconds.
Today´s aircraft are designed to withstand even the most severe turbulence. There are four degrees of turbulence, from mild to extreme (extraordinarily rare), and aircraft are designed so that none of them can make a dent in it. Agencies like the USA´s Federal Aviation Administration require all aircraft to be able to handle even the rarest and most extreme turbulence. What’s more, when we were comparing potholes to turbulence, in very extreme cases a pothole can blow out a tire (although, again, that’s not the norm); however, turbulence can’t do anything to the airplane.
In the most extreme cases there are straightforward options to lessen turbulence. Extreme turbulence is so rare as to be practically non-existent. But in that extremely rare case, pilots have several options: one is to reduce the speed of the plane and change altitude, and another is to request a slight deviation from the route, so as to reduce annoyance to passengers.
What Should You Do if Turbulence Occurs on Your Flight?
First of all, don´t panic. It’s easy to say, we know. But the thing is that at the controls of the plane there is a highly trained team to handle what for us may be uncomfortable, but for them it is the most common thing in the world. So realise that you´re in very skilled hands and this brief moment of discomfort will pass before you know it.
Remain seated and follow any instructions from the crew. The reason passengers are asked not to stand up and to fasten your seatbelts is that one of these sudden movements could cause you to knock into something or someone. Obviously serious injury almost never occurs, but safety in fight is the absolute priority.
Avoid too much coffee and alcohol. Both caffeine and alcoholic drinks increase the body´s state of excitement. And for those already tending toward nervousness, these drugs will send that nervousness into overdrive when turbulence hits. The best liquid to consume for hydration is plain old water, but juices and soft drinks are fine, too.
Bring some distractions with you. Music, books, video games, knitting…anything that relaxes you or makes you think about something else is a good idea to help you get through turbulence as smoothly as possible. If you’re travelling with someone who’s calmer than you, ask them to keep you chatting for a few minutes.
Speak with a member of the crew. If you feel anxiety getting the better of you, chatting with a flight attendant can be reassuring. As we said before, just seeing them act normally when there is turbulence is already a good clue that there is no reason to think you are in danger. But a few words from one of them can be very helpful.
If Fear of Turbulence Still Paralyses You…
Consult a therapist before flying. It is a real shame if you do not enjoy your flying experience if turbulence prevents you from doing so. There are many types of therapy, but some psychology offices even have very realistic flight simulators: in them you experience the same sensations as flying. It´s called virtual-exposure therapy, and it can be very effective indeed.