A flight to Indonesia got into turbulence - more than 30 passengers were injured (Photo: Reuters, Editing: Tal Resnik)
Air vortices (which the scientific term is turbulent flows, but are more commonly known as "air pockets") are not only annoying or uncomfortable, but also sometimes cause fear among pilots.
These turbulences, which are caused by a combination of thunderstorms, winds, the plane's jet stream and sometimes even proximity to high mountains, are considered by many to be an "unexpected enemy".
Like a sudden pothole in the road, which makes us cringe in panic.
Last February, three passengers on a Delta flight were sent to the hospital after turbulence caused an emergency landing.
Also last month, 36 passengers were injured, 11 of them seriously, on a Vian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu due to bad weather before landing.
And these are just two examples from last year.
But before you rush to cancel your next flight, you should stop for a moment and fully understand the essence of the phenomenon.
For this purpose, the tourism website Condé Nast Traveler interviewed several pilots and aviation experts.
Spoiler: it's not as bad as many think.
Here are the conclusions.
More tips before you fly:
Save space for shopping: 12 things you should not pack for vacation
A guide for Israelis: How to overcome the long line at the airport and duty free
Easy flight: 9 things you should not wear on a flight
Mostly harmless
Air turbulence is relatively common and usually harmless.
But of course this does not prevent her from being very unpleasant or comfortable at times.
It is enough just to think about all these tremendous air currents, up and down, to feel discomfort.
There are injuries - but they are rare
The US Federal Aviation Administration claims that about 58 passengers and crew are injured each year as a result of air turbulence. Two-thirds of that number are flight attendants or passengers who are not wearing seat belts, which means that about 20 passengers - out of the 800 million who fly each year in the United States - are injured because Air turbulence. And this usually happens at 10,000 meters or above.
More in Walla!
A pilot reveals: this is where you will suffer the least from turbulence in the air
To the full article
It is enough just to think about these massive air currents, to feel discomfort (Photo: ShutterStock)
The pilots know when it will happen
In many cases, the pilots are aware of the turbulent conditions in their path, and can activate the seat belt remote as the aircraft approaches the situation.
The pilots are also helped by weather reports before the flight, the radar on the plane and reports from other planes in the area.
Most dangerous: clear air vortex
A clear air vortex does not contain water condensation and therefore cannot be detected by conventional radar. This is the most dangerous type, since this type of vortex occurs in cloudless skies, with perfect visibility. Thus, there is very little (if any) time left to warn passengers. and call them back to their seats and buckle in. Unsurprisingly, the majority of injuries associated with air turbulence result from clear air turbulence.
Clear air vortex - on the rise
According to scientists, the amount of extreme clear air vortices affecting flights could double by the middle of this century due to global warming.
This means you should prepare for more bouncy flights in the future.
A flight to Indonesia got into turbulence - more than 30 passengers were injured (Photo: Reuters, Editing: Tal Resnik)
The vortex will not cause your plane to crash
Although it feels like an emergency, the chance of the plane crashing due to the air turbulence is slim.
Airplanes are designed to withstand a tremendous amount of extreme conditions.
The pilots know how to deal with air turbulence
To avoid such situations, the pilots study the weather patterns well, plan ahead and choose the best route before each flight.
When turbulence becomes inevitable, good pilots also know how to calm their passengers.
You should obey the seat belt sign.
But really
Due to the high incidence of clear air turbulence, the only sure way to prevent related injuries is to fasten your seat belt whenever the sign is illuminated.
It's simple, but effective.
The only way to prevent injuries from clear air vortices is to fasten your seat belt (Photo: ShutterStock)
Pay attention to the children
Children held while flying on their parents' laps may be most vulnerable to injuries related to air turbulence.
This quick and sudden movement can cause the child to fall off you.
In one case, a baby on a United American flight was "blown" from her parents during air turbulence, and "landed" on one of the passengers, who was sitting several rows in front of her (surprisingly, the baby was not harmed at all).
Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States called on airlines to install dedicated safety seats for babies and small children, similar to those in the vehicle.
Saying goodbye to whirlwinds for good?
We may soon be able to avoid air turbulence altogether.
Airlines are testing technology that may help planes avoid turbulence altogether.
This is through the use of ultraviolet lasers that will send a kind of pulses that will "clear" the plane's path in the air.
tourism
tips
Tags
flights
eddies
