I’m a pilot – here’s what happens in the cockpit when severe turbulence strikes
A VETERAN pilot has revealed what really goes on in a cockpit when a plane experiences turbulence and why it can’t always be avoided.
Airplanes nowadays are packed with a load of tech equipment which can help spot when a flight is about to enter a bumpy patch.
Doug Morris, an experienced Air Canada Dreamliner captain, detailed the many devices on board pilots used to premediate trouble ahead, reports the .
He revealed in his new book This Is Your Captain Speaking how a pilot’s iPad will have the plane’s route on it, as well as weather charts that highlight areas of turbulence.
This includes reports from other planes on how they faired earlier on.
“Heartbeats” indicate where the aircraft started to experience the turbulence.
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A number from zero to nine is given to each point along the route.
A zero or one indicates things will be smooth, while anything marked three or above requires passengers to put on their seatbelts.
Sometimes, all it takes to miss the rough patches is for a flight dispatcher to plan a slightly different route or just climb to a higher altitude.
However, this isn’t always possible and a detour could add hundreds of miles and extra hours to a journey which isn’t time or fuel efficient.
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Captain Morris explained that “when the bumps increase from jiggles to jolts” pilots will switch on the seat belt sign and flight attendants will stop serving hot drinks.
Cabin crew will possibly warn passengers to think twice about using the toilet.
He noted that when turbulence gets choppy passengers usually get quieter.
Flight attendants will often fasten securely the drinks trolley and any other loose items in the cabin.
Pilots will be on their radios asking around to find smooth airflows and will slow the plane down to make travelling through rough air easier.
Paul Tizzard, a fear of flying expert told the , that unsurprisingly, many people who are scared of flying fixated on horrifying events, such as crashing, which are highly unlikely to occur.
He said a lot of these people obsess over data streams in order to work out just how big the risk is.
Paul added: "They check on all the turbulence websites for a better brief than even the Met Office can give them, or act as a stand by pilot for the whole flight, watching the flight route.”
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He also said that a fear of flying can come on suddenly – often when people become parents, have a rough flight when they are hungry or stressed, or even when they reach retirement age.
Paul advised anyone with a fear of flying to listen to first person accounts who have managed to control their worries so people can manage their irrational phobias.
