Have you ever truly experienced "SEVERE Turbulence”?

Comments · 312

• GA

  @gabrielg8826 · 3 months ago · pinned

  This seemed like a normal typical IFR experience within the US system during convective season. Your flying was normal decision making. You understood age of the radar image, which is asked during checkrides because of previous accidents. Your statement about that experience not being out of your comfort zone is what an instructor wants to hear, you have personal limits. This looked like a good actual world scenario that keeps those IFR flight chops up.

  111

• KA

  @Kapitan_Plastic_Fantastic · 3 months ago

  Truly severe - just twice in a 40+ year career.<br><br>Over Kangerlussuaq at around FL350 in a 747-400. Following a Virgin Atlantic flight (we were both heading for SFO) who put out a Mayday, as they had passengers with broken bones etc. and initiated a diversion. The heads up gave us enough time to wake all the crew on break, secure the cabin and get everyone strapped in (including the &apos;heavy&apos; relief pilot).<br><br>We were in milky white hazy cloud, came out of it to be faced with what I can only describe as Cirrus like cloud, but instead of horizontal fingers, it was like a waterfall in front of us. We were flying turbulence penetration speed, and the AP actually stayed in - but we had up to 30 degrees of bank on either side while we rode this. Only lasted a minute or two, but was true sweaty palms stuff - could in no way read any of the instruments, it felt like we were in a car crash with our brains being rattled around inside our skulls!<br><br>But the first time was arguably even more intense. Going into Aberdeen at night in a Shorts SD3-30, being vectored downwind right for 16 - thankfully cabin already secured for landing. We think we must have flown through a rotor from the hills in close vicinity - but at the time we thought we&apos;d had a mid-air collision! It was that violent. Had both the stick shaker and the high speed warning going off at the same time. I was hit in the head by my flight case, which had started on the floor, hit the ceiling, then clobbered me on the way back down, with its contents all over the flight deck. It took a few seconds to realise we were still alive and flying!<br><br>Bearing in mind we were carrying rig workers to meet their helicopters out to the rigs on the North Sea - these guys were used to rough rides. After landing and parking up, they all stood in front of the aircraft and gave us a round of applause! They thought we&apos;d just saved their lives. The reality was we were merely holding on to the controls for dear life, and we were as much passengers for those few seconds as they were!<br><br>A couple of wake encounters at higher levels were quite intense - but nothing when compared to these two.

  196

• ON

  @oneflyerguy1993 · 3 months ago

  Green takes the bugs off, yellow takes the paint off, red takes the wings off. &nbsp;Fly safe out there!

  40

• US

  @usmcmech96 · 3 months ago

  There is a big difference between &quot;unpleasant&quot; vs &quot;unsafe&quot;. &nbsp;Flying professionally you learn the difference.

  21

• RO

  @Rourke-Slimer · 3 months ago (edited)

  I experienced extreme turbulence as the PIC once and it was the single most terrifying aviation experience I&apos;ve ever had. I joined the local glider club after that and had some of the old timer jedi masters teach me the real lessons about wind and weather. Probably the single biggest thing I ever did to improve my stick and rudder skills and my ability to understand weather not just from a book knowledge standpoint but in a real world application. It was humbling experience to go from a competent and confident pilot, to being completely at the mercy (or lack thereof) of mother nature like a leaf in the wind. Be careful out there.

  48

• DA

  @DanIvyOffical · 3 months ago

  As an air traffic controller, we have noticed a significant uptick in severe turbulence reports by small ga aircraft over the past couple years. My concern is that the more reports of severe weather get, the less seriously it’s taken but both controllers and pilots.

  9

• ST

  @Storriesmith · 3 months ago

  42 year career/about 20,000 hours. I experienced severe turbulence maybe 4 times. Twice in a 737, twice in the mighty JS 32 Jetstream. It always lasts hours when you&apos;re in it but the reality is that it&apos;s (hopefully) just a minute or 2. Once in the Jetstream we got a GPWS alert that prompted a go around at about 2 or 300 ft. It was not convective but a strong frontal shift where the wind shifted literally 180 degrees. The tower controller called as it was happening. We tried an approach to the opposite runway (visual) but it was too much wind shear so we diverted about 30 minutes away. It wasn&apos;t much better! <br><br>Keep it real in IFR, stay current, practice a lot but I don&apos;t recommend ANY convective IFR without actual live radar. Stay safe out there!

  16

• MO

  @moshunit96 · 3 months ago

  That hanger full of planes sure was pretty. So many great aircraft in there.

  4

• NA

  @nateshooter308 · 3 months ago

  I used to fly into hurricanes. I’ve been in some bad stuff…many times. The worst experience was clear-air turbulence (with a media crew on board) on the way to a hurricane.

  3

• WI

  @Windtee · 3 months ago

  Haven&apos;t watched your uploads in years, but I see you racked-up real-world IMC in the IFR system. Your confidence and skill shows!<br>Continued success, Steve.

  3

• RI

  @risinbison1106 · 3 months ago

  I’m not a pilot and have only flown in a small plane a few times but cloud surfing just has to be one of the most amazing experiences one can have flying. I can’t think of a better therapy.

  2

• CR

  @craigsanders6925 · 2 months ago

  I flew the Glastar I bought from Pennsylvania to California. &nbsp;Clear VFR but I had moderate turbulence for the first 2 1/2 days. &nbsp;Up, down, left, right, hand flying with lots of updrafts and downdrafts over 500 FPM. &nbsp;At least it was sharp turbulence, just non stop.