EBN- Are you experiencing turbulence like vibrations, rattles, swaying, shaking, and falling? Have you ever wondered where to sit on a plane to minimize the effects of these turbulences?
While it’s impossible to completely avoid turbulence, it’s becoming a more frequent problem as the climate changes, but you can minimize those stomach-churning bumps by choosing a slightly strategic seat.
Turbulence is a fact of flying, but knowing where to sit and when to fly can help ease the stress.
Understanding Disorders
Turbulence is a common natural phenomenon that occurs when air currents move unexpectedly, causing an aircraft to shake. Pilots are trained to deal with these conditions and while they may seem annoying, turbulence is rarely dangerous. Aircraft are designed to handle turbulence and pilots are constantly in contact with air traffic control to ensure they are flying at the most stable altitude possible.
Seating selection strategy intensity of turbulence can vary depending on where you sit on the plane. The best seats to experience the least amount of turbulence are those near the wings. This has to do with the location of the plane’s center of gravity.
The further away you are from the wing, the more turbulence you will feel. Think of it like if you’re right in the middle, you won’t feel much movement. If you’re on the edge of the wing, you’ll feel more movement. If you’re not sure which seats are on the wing of your plane, a good rule of thumb is to choose a seat a few rows either side of the over-wing emergency exit. Sitting at the front of the cabin is also a good option to reduce movement and enjoy a quieter, smoother flight, but it will generally cost you more, whether it’s a dedicated seat or a business class ticket.
You typically experience the most vibration and the widest range of movement at the back of the plane because the tail of the plane tends to experience the most movement, similar to how the back of a bus feels more swayed than the front. Passengers in the back rows are likely to notice more bouncing and swaying during turbulent conditions.
Flying on larger aircraft
Another way to reduce the amount of turbulence you may experience is to fly on larger aircraft. Smaller planes, which can seat only about 76 people, are lighter, have shorter wings and fly at lower altitudes. The result is more turbulence. The extra weight and larger airframes make them less susceptible to bumps in the air. If you have a choice between a larger plane and a smaller one, go with the larger if smoothness is your priority. This may mean forgoing short regional flights operated by smaller planes. Instead, consider driving or taking public transportation to travel from the larger airport rather than the smaller one.
Flying during the day
You should also be careful about when you fly during the day. The air tends to be smoothest very early in the morning when it is cooler and denser and turbulence is less severe. So if you are a nervous traveler and don’t like bumpy flights , make sure you book your ticket on the first flight in the morning.
