> "So I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling," 28-year-old student Dzafran Azmir said.<p>> "Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it, they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it."<p>That's why I try to keep my seatbelt on at all times, ever since I went through some rough turbulences on my way to Dubai (layover)
Tragic, horrid and going to make a lot of nervous flyers more nervous.<p>I've been through some pretty heavy turbulence in my time, but thankfully nothing this severe. I've been through enough though to know that a lot of people don't take it very seriously. I've been on flights with screaming passengers, and _very_ quiet British Marines, both in reaction to some pretty nasty air, and I'm always surprised that turbulence surprises people. It's part of flying.<p>There's a reason why you're advised to keep your seatbelt fastened when seated. I simply don't understand some cabins that have cocktail bars in them - are you absolutely crazy? Air pockets are horrific, and there is nothing pilots can do to avoid unexpected ones. One minute you can be sipping your vodka martini, the next you can be thrown around to the point you're hitting the ceiling and then the floor within a couple of seconds of each other, and hard, hard enough to kill you.<p>Even on transatlantic flights (LHR to SFO or LAX is normal for me), I'm only getting out of my seat if I absolutely 100% have to go to the bathroom, and then I'm going to reduce time not buckled in to absolute minimum.
AVHerald summaries (but not comments) are always a good place to check for further news and objective data.<p><a href="https://avherald.com/h?article=518e5d47&opt=0" rel="nofollow">https://avherald.com/h?article=518e5d47&opt=0</a>
I haven’t experienced much turbulence in maybe 15 years, whereas I remember in the 90s I experienced tons of turbulence in almost every flight. I am not sure if this is something modern airliners have been designed to deal with or avoid, or not.<p>Has anyone else experienced this or is my memory just faulty?
“A September 2022 study predicts that clear-air turbulence will increase significantly around the globe by the period 2050-2080, in particular along the busiest flight routes, and the strongest type of turbulence will increase the most.”
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/21/world/singapore-airlines-turbulence-bangkok/index.html" rel="nofollow">https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/21/world/singapore-airlines-...</a>
Horrible news.<p>Speaking of the physics involved, I was thinking: if it's just free fall, caused by gravity and no air sustaining the wings, this should not happen, right? Some random Quora answer says that it's because during turbulence there is actually air pressing wings down and accelerating them down faster than gravity, and that's why you hit the ceiling. Intuitively that makes sense but, can anyone confirm?<p>Edit: because if it was just free-falling you should be in a micro-gravity environment
Sad about the injured and especially the dead person.<p>I don't think most people realise how violent turbulence can be or how badly things can go. In my last flight, someone on my row removed the seatbelt as soon the light went out and then when we landed, before we exited the runway. Like, why? If it bothers you that much, don't wear it too tight... but at least wear it.
I'll be the first to admit that I held conflicting views:<p>For one, I never thought someone could die from turbulence (besides a medical condition such as heart risk).<p>At the same time, I'm sure certain falls/impacts are quite lethal even in very short distances.<p>Yet, i dont understand how turbulence makes a plane fall 6000 ft in 3min, unless the automated (turbulence?) avoidance system engaged and caused the injury in the 1st place. Yet, at the same time, the rate of descent may have been necessary to keep control of the plane.<p>So many questions
There are no details here. Thw two obvious questions that will be investigated are:<p>1. Was there any warning for the turbulence? A lot can be picked up by radar but not all and it depends on what equipment the airplane has although Singapore Airlines isn't known for skimping on equipment like that.<p>2. Was the seat belt sign on? Was the passenger wearing their seat belt?<p>Basically, was the airline at fault? Was the crew at fault? Was the pasesnger at fault? Or was it just an freak accident? This will take time to answer.
There's a novel by Michael Crichton that starts with a very similar plot: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airframe_(novel)" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airframe_(novel)</a>
You know, I've been traveling a lot by place for the past 12 years, and its always been my personal terror, to have no seatbelt and the place hitting a turbulence throwing me on the ceiling... now I know it can happen.
Serious injuries are very rare. Minor injuries aren't tracked by the NTSB.<p><a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/turbulence" rel="nofollow">https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/turbulence</a>
I was once on a flight where my seatbelt refused to fasten and I said nothing because I didn't want to be moved away from my wife. Let me tell you, after reading this, that will never happen again.
> Turbulence is most commonly caused by aircraft flying through cloud but there is also "clear air" turbulence which is not visible on a jet's weather radar nor is it possible to predict.<p>Is this actually impossible for some theoretical constraint or have we just not invested in the R&D?
For all the pontificating in this thread about the need to follow safety advice regarding the wearing of seat belts (and bicycle helmets!) at all times, please note the following from the BBC report:<p>> the London-Singapore flight suffered a sudden drop as a meal service was under way.<p>Meal service is probably the single most vulnerable moment to encounter turbulence. How many of the safety-first-at-all-times brigade could dine while tightly strapped to their seat? And no matter how tightly strapped in you are, you could not avoid being splashed by scalding coffee, as some passengers on the in the report were.<p>Also, the flight time from London to Singapore is 13 hours and 15 minutes (non-stop). How many of you would stay tightly strapped in at all times for that long?
> The Associated Press has analysed tracking data captured by FlightRadar24 which showed the Singapore Airlines flight cruising at an altitude of 37,000 ft. Just after 8am GMT, the Boeing 777 suddenly pitched down to 31,000 ft over the span of about three minutes, the data indicates.
The interior damage appears extreme. Can any mech-aero engs or pilots confirm?<p>EDIT: It's suggested on aviation forums that unbelted passengers hitting the interior broke the plastic retaining clips holding interior panels, leading to dangling debris.
Turbulence is my biggest fear during flying. I always imagine the plane just snapping or something else starting to malfunction due to the turbulence.<p>I know it's not supposed to happen, but there's a slight chance....
> Research has shown that climate change will make severe turbulence more likely in the future.<p>In the grand scheme of things, this sounds like a fair punishment for humanity.
According to the NTSB data, turbulence encounters like this are the leading cause of airline accidents. Turbulence is the leading cause, not flying in a Boeing airframe, or whatever other meme you may have been sold.<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UYNFthOx1o&t=253s" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UYNFthOx1o&t=253s</a>
One turbulence death out of millions and people here are like, “see, you die if you don’t keep your seatbelt fastened at all times!”<p>Tbh, I do try to keep mine fastened, but generally don’t go anywhere, so as to maximize my safety.
> Another passenger said the aircraft suddenly started "tilting up” and “shaking".<p>> "[...] very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop [...]"<p>Nose tipping up, followed by steep drop. Sounds like the plane stalled.
while the loose seatbelt at the minimum throughout the flight has been highlighted here, there are other aspects here that did not go well.<p>why was meal service provided when the staff is aware of the weather conditions? the seatbelt sign is usually shown at a slight deterioration of weather, i wonder why they went ahead with this.<p>thoughts and prayers.
I wonder if there’s data to assert what’s more dangerous in the long term:<p>Stay absolutely seated and fastened for the whole flight;<p>VS.<p>Stay absolutely seated and fastened for the whole flight with a few breaks to walk around and stretch your legs.<p>PS: Yes, sitting without fastening your seatbelt is just plain stupid.