We may earn commission as an affiliate from qualifying purchase made through any of the link in this post thank you so much.
Is turbulence worse on a private jet, like most people, I’ve always assumed that turbulence was more stressful on commercial aircraft. But is that really the case? Is turbulence worse on a private jet?
I don’t know about you, but the phrase “private jet” fills me with a sense of calmness. Now sure, some of you may be thinking about the paparazzi outside your house (you have a great security team though, right?) or the excitement of getting to wear your favorite outfit to board.
It’s not all smooth sailing in this section though there are some less sparkling perks. Private jet passengers often compare the smaller cabin space to that of traveling via limousine (although they might be used to that).
There’s also not quite as much leg room, leaving passengers struggling to avoid “private jet butt” should they have stayed out late the night before and slept right through that 6am breakfast meeting.
Turbulence is a common complaint of air travelers. Some people complain more than others and to be honest, most people would prefer to avoid it altogether if they could. But do you know if turbulence is actually worse on a private jet?
Or worse on a commercial airline? We want to find out the answer to this question so we can determine which type of plane we should fly in order to help mitigate the effects of turbulence.
Turbulence is never fun on any plane, but you’re most likely to experience it on a commercial airline. This is something that private jet owners (and those with access to business jets) don’t have to worry about right? I don’t think so.
Key takeaway
- Is turbulence worse on a private jet?
- How dangerous is flying turbulence?
- Can turbulence bring down a plane?
- What causes turbulence in the air?
- Do pilots get scared of turbulence?
- What happens to a plane during turbulence?
- Where is the most turbulence on a plane?
- How to avoid turbulence during flight?
Is turbulence worse on a private jet?
Yes, turbulence is worse on a private jet. Turbulence is defined as “an irregular flow of air”. There are many different types of turbulence. The most common type of turbulence experienced by aircraft is clear air turbulence (CAT).
CAT occurs when an airplane travels through an area of rapidly changing wind speeds and directions in smooth air. Clear Air Turbulence is much more common at high altitudes, where winds are faster and more variable.
It can cause abrupt changes in altitude, attitude and speed which may upset the aircraft and its passengers. It usually lasts for less than 15 minutes but it can be longer if you fly through areas of high-level jet stream or pockets of very strong winds aloft.
The intensity or severity of turbulence depends on many factors such as the wind speed and direction at various altitudes, atmospheric stability and thickness, as well as the type of aircraft being flown.
According to a study published in the Journal of Aircraft, turbulence is more likely to occur on small aircraft than large ones. This is because there are simply fewer people on board than in commercial jets, so it’s harder for the pilot to notice when things get bumpy.
However, private jets are generally newer and more advanced than most commercial aircraft, so they’re able to handle turbulence better. Private jet pilots may also be more experienced and rely on advanced navigation tools to avoid turbulence hotspots.
In addition, private jet passengers are often more willing to accept some discomfort in exchange for greater convenience, privacy and comfort. They are less likely than commercial passengers to complain about small bumps or jolts during flight.
Read more article: How much is a G5 private jet?
How dangerous is flying turbulence?
Flying turbulence is a fact of life for pilots, but how dangerous is it? It’s a question we’re often asked. Tackling it head-on is difficult because there’s no way to know exactly how many planes have been hit by turbulence or what the consequences were.
But the aviation industry does collect some data on turbulence incidents and their aftermath. In 2014, the International Airline Transport Association (IATA) reported that more than 1,000 aircraft were damaged by turbulence in 2013 and that was only for Airbus aircraft.
It doesn’t include Boeing or other manufacturers. Of those 1,000 damaged aircraft, about half of them had to be repaired on the ground before they could fly again. Some required extensive repairs that took weeks or months to complete.
In most cases, passengers were put up in hotels until their flight was ready to take off again. Aircraft get damaged when they hit an air pocket that causes them to abruptly move up or down, side-to-side or back and forth sometimes called “shaking”.
Which puts stress on the structure of an airplane (or helicopter) and can cause cracks or breakage in its fuselage or wings. The less damage there is to an aircraft after hitting turbulence, the more likely it is that the flight will continue without further incident.
If there is a lot of damage, then the pilot may need to land more quickly than expected. Flying turbulence is not dangerous, but it can be uncomfortable.
A passenger might feel their stomach move up and down, side to side or back and forth sometimes called “shaking” which puts stress on the structure of an airplane (or helicopter) and can cause cracks or breakage in its fuselage or wings.
The less damage there is to an aircraft after hitting turbulence, the more likely it is that the flight will continue without further incident. If there is a lot of damage, then the pilot may need to land more quickly than expected.
Read more article: How much does it cost to buy a private jet?
Can turbulence bring down a plane?
The answer is no. Turbulence is a normal part of flying, and it’s something that pilots are trained to handle. Turbulence occurs when wind blows across the surface of the earth in irregular patterns.
It can happen in any weather, but it’s most common in winter and summer, when seasonal temperature changes cause the jet stream to move around.
The turbulence you feel on a plane is usually caused by air flows from different directions meeting each other at different speeds and altitudes above the ground. The resulting airflow can produce waves or ripples that shake up an aircraft.
In most cases, turbulence doesn’t have much effect on a plane’s flight path. But sometimes it can be so severe that it forces pilots to make quick adjustments to their course or altitude to avoid serious damage to the plane or injury for passengers and crew members inside it.
In rare cases where turbulence causes an aircraft to lose control completely, pilots can use specialized equipment like autopilots and inertial navigation systems (INS) to regain stability and guide their planes back into safe flight paths again.
The most common type of turbulence is clear-air turbulence (CAT). CAT occurs when the atmosphere is stable and smooth, but it’s disturbed by “internal waves” essentially, small-scale waves that form within the air itself.
These waves can be caused by the wind moving across mountains or other geographic features, or by large thunderstorms that generate strong updrafts. The resulting turbulence is invisible to radar and visual observations so pilots don’t know about it until they experience it firsthand.
Clear-air turbulence can last for several minutes at a time, but it usually doesn’t cause serious problems like losing control of an aircraft or breaking off parts of wings or tail fins. The worst case scenario is when multiple aircraft are experiencing CAT at once;
if all those planes are cruising through the same region at high speeds, they might start bumping into each other in midair. This kind of midair collision led to the crash of two 747s over Japan in 1985; 520 people died in that incident.
The FAA advises pilots to avoid CAT by staying alert and avoiding areas where it’s likely to occur waypoints and routes where there’s a lot of air traffic and bad weather, particularly thunderstorms and tropical cyclones.
Pilots also need to make sure their autopilot systems will disengage automatically if CAT hits them unexpectedly so they don’t get caught flying blind with no control over their aircraft.
Read more article: How much does it cost to build a hangar?
What causes turbulence in the air?
Turbulence is the rapid and chaotic movement of air molecules in the atmosphere. Turbulent air can be created by a number of factors, including uneven heating of the Earth’s surface and variations in wind speed.
Turbulence occurs when the air is not able to flow smoothly over a plane or structure, such as an airplane wing or building. The irregularity causes the air to move at different speeds and directions.
Creating pockets of high and low pressure that produce strong gusts and downdrafts. In some cases, turbulence can be dangerous for passengers because it can cause severe motion sickness or injury when objects are thrown around inside the cabin.
There are several types of turbulence:
Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) is caused by weather systems moving through the atmosphere at different speeds, causing pockets of clear air to mix with pockets of air with clouds or precipitation.
CAT typically occurs at high altitudes (over 10 kilometers above sea level) where aircraft are more likely to encounter it than TURBULENCE IN RIDGE WINDS (see below).
Ridge Winds Turbulence is caused by wind shear when two winds blowing in opposite directions meet at a boundary between them (such as a mountain range). This kind of turbulence typically occurs at night, as the winds switch from a westerly flow to an easterly flow.
Wind Shear Turbulence is caused by the rapid changes in wind speed and direction that occur along the edges of high-pressure systems and low-pressure systems. The most common form of wind shear is associated with jet streams.
These fast-moving currents of air can cause sudden increases or decreases in airspeed, which can make it difficult for aircraft to maintain their altitude or course. Wind shear is also responsible for the formation of rotors.
Or vertical columns of spinning air that appear like small tornadoes on radar screens. Rotor clouds are formed when wind blows across mountain ranges or over bodies of water at different speeds and directions.
Read more article: How do private jets work?
Do pilots get scared of turbulence?
Yes, pilots can get scared of turbulence. Turbulence is very common and pilots see it every day. Many times it is nothing to worry about. But sometimes it can be dangerous. This makes pilots nervous when they are flying in bad weather.
The most dangerous type of turbulence is called “clear air turbulence.” This kind of turbulence can be very strong, even though you don’t see any clouds or other signs of bad weather around you.
There are many kinds of turbulence that pilots have to deal with every day:
Clear Air Turbulence: This occurs when there are no clouds in the sky above your plane but you still feel bumps or rocking back and forth while in flight. The reason for this kind of turbulence is not completely understood by scientists.
But it happens frequently enough that there are rules about how much time pilots must have between takeoffs and landings in order to avoid this type of bumpy ride through the skies (called “minimum separation”).
Frontal Troughs/Cold Fronts: When a cold front moves into an area behind it, this creates turbulence along its path as warm air meets cool air and tries to move up over top of each other (this happens both at ground level as well as in the upper atmosphere).
The more unstable the air is, the greater the possibility for turbulence. There are different types of turbulence which include:
Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) – This form of turbulence is caused by pockets of air that have not been disturbed by storms or fronts. CAT is typically invisible and very brief in duration (10 seconds or less).
Cloud-Based Turbulence – This type of turbulence is caused by clouds interacting with each other. It can be moderate to severe and will often last for several minutes.
Storm-Based Turbulence – Storm-based turbulence can occur when there is a storm nearby but it can also occur without any nearby weather systems present! Storm-based turbulence can be moderate to severe and will often last for several minutes.
Frontal Turbulence – Frontal turbulence occurs ahead of cold fronts when there are significant changes in wind speed and direction with height. This type of turbulence is generally associated with widespread cloudiness and precipitation but may exist without either being present.
Frontal turbulence tends to have a shorter duration than storm-based turbulence but will often be more intense due to its closeness to the ground level.
Read more article: Do private Jet owners go through security?
What happens to a plane during turbulence?
Turbulence is one of the biggest fears for air travelers. In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that more than 100 people are injured by turbulence each year on U.S. airlines alone.
The intensity of turbulence can vary widely, from a gentle rocking motion to violent shaking and even sudden downward jerks or drops.
The most important thing to remember is that turbulence is not an indication that something is wrong with your flight or aircraft. It’s simply an inconvenience albeit one that’s unsettling for many flyers that comes with flying in the air.
Turbulence occurs due to wind shear, which is a change in wind speed or direction over a short distance. When wind blows faster at one altitude than another, it creates pockets of turbulence called updrafts and downdrafts near the surface of Earth or other objects like mountains or tall buildings.
When aircraft are flying through these areas of turbulent air, they experience forces like lift and drag that affect their flight path and speed (airspeed). Pilots attempt to anticipate these changes in order to avoid erratic movements but sometimes this isn’t possible because they can’t see where they are going until it’s too late!
Severe turbulence will make your plane shake so much that it’s difficult to read a book or magazine, let alone hold a conversation with the person sitting next to you. You may even be asked to return to your seat and buckle your seat belt because people have been injured in severe turbulence.
Read more article: Aircraft hangar rental rates
Where is the most turbulence on a plane?
Around the equator. This is because the air there tends to be warmer and less dense than at higher or lower latitudes. The warm air rises, creating turbulence.
Ahead of a cold front or other weather system that’s moving into your area. The wind coming off the front can cause turbulence, especially if it’s accompanied by clouds and rain. Over mountains. Mountains force air to rise as it passes over them, causing turbulence.
Along converging fronts where winds blow toward each other but in different directions (called shear). These are common over oceans where there may be low-pressure systems off shore and high-pressure systems inland.
In addition the most turbulence is at the wingtips, where the air flowing over and under the wing meets up with the air flowing around it. That’s why turbulence is most severe when your plane banks or turns.
You might also feel some bumps if you’re flying in and out of clouds, which are caused by pockets of air that are denser than their surroundings and so produce more drag on an airplane’s wings.
A plane’s wings are designed to create lift, which is the force that allows planes to fly. As the plane flies through the air, it creates turbulence as it encounters different air currents and wind speeds.
Turbulence is often caused by thunderstorms, but it can also be caused by wind shear (when there’s a difference in wind speed or direction over a short distance).
It’s important for pilots to know what kind of turbulence they could encounter on their route so they can plan accordingly. In general, pilots have more control over their flight paths when they’re flying into mild turbulence than they do when they’re flying in severe turbulence.
Read more article: Aircraft hangar maintenance
How to avoid turbulence during flight?
The answer is simple: avoid flying when the weather is bad. But that’s not always possible, so here are some tips to help you avoid turbulence during your flights and how to handle it if it does happen.
What causes turbulence?
Turbulence happens when smooth, stable air becomes disturbed by rising or falling currents of air and wind shear. It can occur anywhere in the atmosphere and at any altitude, but most often happens at high altitudes above 10,000 feet and near large bodies of water like oceans, lakes and rivers.
How can I avoid turbulence?
The best way to avoid turbulence is to fly on days when the weather cooperates. In bad weather conditions (cloudy skies or thunderstorms), air traffic controllers may have to route aircraft around areas where there are thunderstorms or clouds that are obscuring the runway.
If you’re planning a flight during these conditions, check with your airline or travel agent before booking your ticket!
If you’re on an overnight flight or a long-haul flight, try to get some sleep before the turbulence hits. You’ll be less likely to be bothered by it and will be less likely to become disorientated.
Keep your seatbelt fastened at all times, even when the seatbelt sign is turned off. If you need to stand up or move about the cabin, use the aisle seat behind you so that other passengers can get out easily from their seats if needed.
Read more article: Are Private Jets more or less Turbulent During Flight?
Final conclusion
Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer as to whether turbulence is worse or not. It depends on a variety of different factors and all jet aircraft have different specifications. The truth is that, with the right aircraft, you will have an incredibly smooth ride, no matter what the weather may bring.
We might not all be able to afford our own private jet any time soon (as much as we might want to), but that doesn’t mean we want to put up with the turbulence, right? So what is your best bet if avoiding this is your goal? Put simply, you should book at off-peak times.
The good news for fliers is that the expanding size of commercial jets will likely put a cap on how many passengers are exposed to turbulence. Only “full flights” or those with extra space may see a drastically increased amount of bumpy air.
It is possible, however, that some pilots are putting “more emphasis on safety than others”, as Ronald Volstad from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University explains. Even so, it seems unlikely that passengers will be affected much in the future.
What we are really looking at is using turbulence as a metric of flight safety. I do not expect that this metric will improve the overall flight experience, but more so unlock secret patterns in turbulence. This could increase airline revenue, decrease maintenance costs and save lives.
Read more article: Can Private Jets Land Anywhere?
Buy Cheap Private Jet on Private Jet Finder
Other related articles
- Cheap Model Airplane Stand (Where To Get It)
- Model Airplanes Scale Sizes (Get It Cheap Here)
- Large Model Airplane Stand (Truly Worth It)
- Airplane Model Stand (Right Place To Get It)
- Aircraft Model Stand (Click Here Now)
- Airplane Model Metal Stand (Get It Cheap)
Joseph Benson
Hi, I am Joseph Benson the CEO of Trullyreview, welcome to your number one source for all things aircraft. I am the designer of Benson B1 Helicopter.
