Turbulence: What Does it Feel Like in the Cockpit?

"In the midst of turbulence, we hang onto hope.” — Laily Gifty Akita

Two white-shirts — me and my copilot — sit side by side behind a parabola of glass. We are 38,000 feet above the ground. All is serene. Good time to admire some clouds, I figure.

Down and to the right floats a layer of clouds. It looks like sheep’s wool. Lumpy and fluffy. Beneath that, lakes dot the land like spots on a Dalmatian.

But below is not the only place clouds lurk. We gaze forward and see this.

“Might have to pick around these,” the captain says. I agree. Though turbulence can happen in clear air, it is almost guaranteed in some places:

• Underneath cloud overhangs
• near and in storms
• in the middle of and under puffy cumulus clouds

So what does turbulence feel like in the cockpit when it happens?

“It feels like you’re in a car on a bumpy road. The worst is when it lifts you out of your seat.”

— Tony Pool, EU and U.S. certified professional pilot

The truth is, turbulence feels a lot better for pilots than for passengers! I say this from experience progressing as a pilot.

It’s psychological. When your hands are on the controls, you feel more secure. Further, you adapt to turbulence through training. Finally, over time, faith develops in what a plane can handle.

Jump in the Seat — Turbulence on Discovery

Anyone can find out the answer for themselves. “Discovery flights” are available all over! For one to two hours, an instructor takes you airborne in a small, usually four-seater aircraft. They let even let you take off and land.

I took a discovery flight early on. I was about to launch into the investment of serious flight training; a discovery flight is one way to help be sure about the career move. My dad played passenger in the back of a Cessna 172 as we flew around our mutual hometown of Denver, Colorado. The instructor sat up front with me.

Denver’s turbulence is infamous. When wind skiffs off the Rocky Mountains, small aircraft (like ours was) take note.

The instructor took us as close to Red Rocks Amphitheater as possible. The plane began to toss up, down, left right, more and more violently. He had to turn us back before we could circle the famous concert hall.

The theater was too close to the mountain-air turbulence that day. I felt so-so. But the rumbles and tosses were simply too threatening for our size.

So instead we wheeled back around towards the Denver skyline. We enjoyed finding (and photographing) my dad’s workplace down below. It can be nice to feel above it all.

When we drove away, I found out my passenger in the back had a totally different experience than me!

“I almost threw up, man.”

I’d been clenching the yoke and feeling tense. But he actually felt nauseous at times. Rough!

There were only two differences between us.

1) He was not at the controls.

2) I had recently been in a lot more airplanes. (My job at the time was flight attendant).

The Funny Answer

To conclude, I texted a friend who flies at a major airline. (Translation: a much more experienced pilot than me). I just wanted one more professional take on this question.

His answer may make you laugh.

How does turbulence feel in the cockpit?

“It starts with, ‘This f****ing bouncing better not spill my coffee.’ Then, the quick concern for the flight attendants. Make sure they are seated. Because,

a) It is the right thing to do to protect them.

b) It is a lot less paperwork if they don’t get hurt.

Then, if the turbulence escalates to crazy levels… we look at each other, raise our eyebrows quizzically and wonder how the old machine’s wings are holding up.”

Savanna Rain Uland is a fantasy author, travel writer, and professional pilot.

www.savannarainuland.com