Trips

What is an air pocket? Flying an airplane

From the ground it may seem that the clouds are clumps of cotton wool. But only children can believe this. In reality, clouds are formed by the accumulation of millions of water droplets. Sometimes even the most seemingly harmless cloudiness causes doubts among pilots.

Previously, flying an airplane was completely subject to intuition, luck and the experience of the captain. Today, flight safety has reached a higher level, thanks to the development of the aviation industry. However, not a single pilot, even the most experienced one, can insure the plane from falling into thunderclouds, where, as a rule, lightning, hail, and an air pocket await him. What kind of phenomenon is this and should we be afraid of it?

What is turbulence?

Pilots call this phenomenon “chatter.” Some say it's an air pocket. The plane sways from side to side, and sometimes it seems as if it is jumping and flapping its wings.

Surprisingly, turbulence can occur not only when the plane enters a cloudy area. There is such a thing as clear sky turbulence. But if the weather is calm, pressure and humidity are normal, then the temperature is evenly distributed in the air. These are ideal conditions for a safe flight. And if there are clouds in the sky, then this is already an indicator that there are temperature changes. Upward and downward air flows have different pressures. When an airplane enters such zones, it begins to shake. Especially the air pocket, or rather getting into it, is felt during a flight over mountains, oceans or the sea. But you shouldn’t be too afraid of this phenomenon, since modern aircraft were initially designed taking all these points into account.

What are the dangers of turbulence?

“Bumpiness” is not a pleasant phenomenon, but it is absolutely safe for an airplane. Almost all pilots are convinced of this. But nevertheless, when they find themselves in zones of turbulence, they immediately strive to leave them. As a rule, there is no accidental entry into the bumpy zone. Pilots prepare in advance for possible difficulties in flight. Therefore, they always have a couple of additional detour routes in stock.

You should know that this phenomenon cannot cause any harm to the aircraft. It will not break, fall apart or explode. But passengers have a hard time in such an environment. Those who, for one reason or another, did not fasten their seat belts may especially suffer. In this case, you can even be seriously injured.

Truth or myth?

Most passengers believe that getting into turbulence depends entirely on the skill of the pilot. But, unfortunately, neither the latter’s skills, nor experience, nor qualifications can influence this in any way. The degree of shaking is influenced solely by atmospheric conditions, as well as the weight of the aircraft itself. Heavy vehicles are more protected from this phenomenon. More precisely, the shaking in them is not felt so much.

Passengers should be aware that the aircraft crew always acts according to regulations. Sometimes a decision is made to force the plane to land. However, this does not mean that the ship is faulty. According to safety rules, the crew has the right to land the plane due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Rules of conduct on an airplane

Since turbulence is a natural phenomenon during flight, and air pockets are also common during flight, it is better to know how to act correctly to avoid injury. In some cases, it is impossible to influence the situation, but it is still possible to minimize the risks of serious injury.

1. You should not leave your seat when entering a turbulence zone.
2. Luggage located on the upper shelves must be well secured.
3. Unfastening your seat belts while shaking is strictly prohibited.
4. All instructions from personnel must be followed.

Air funnel - what is it?

Sometimes turbulence occurs when an airplane enters an area of ​​low pressure. Why are such phenomena dangerous?

Of course, the concept of “air pocket” is abstract. Why? There can be no holes in the air. But nevertheless, due to sudden changes in pressure, the plane suddenly begins to fall down. However, this is just how it feels. In fact, the plane falls into a downward air flow, which with its force pulls it down. In this case, the rate of ascent decreases. Then the reverse process occurs. The plane enters an updraft of air, which pushes it upward. The feeling from everything that is happening is extremely unpleasant. However, it is almost impossible to avoid such a phenomenon, since nature cannot be controlled. The only thing people can do is to increase the strength of the structure, carefully check the fastenings and mechanisms so that the aircraft can adequately cope with a difficult situation.

What to do if the plane gets into an air pocket?

To begin with, don't panic. This phenomenon is common; not a single flight over the mountains or the Pacific Ocean can do without it. However, passengers must internally prepare for it. You should not drink alcohol before or during the flight. If possible, you should stop taking medications. You should not read anything during the flight. It is better to drink water with lemon to cope with the feeling of nausea. If the plane gets into an air pocket, it will not suffer much, since according to all the rules, only fully repaired aircraft are allowed to fly. There are only a few known cases of plane crashes in the world due to a plane hitting a crater, but they still exist. In this case, it is better to overcome air pockets with prayer. Disasters are sometimes avoided, according to eyewitnesses. But the pilot is not always able to control the controls, and real trouble happens.

How to minimize risks when flying?

Since air pocketing is somewhat dependent on weather conditions, before flying an airplane, it is best to research how you can minimize the risk of uncomfortable conditions.

1. The best time to fly is early in the day. As a rule, wind, storm, thunderstorm or hail are unlikely to occur in the morning.
2. If possible, you should choose flights without stopovers.
3. You need to study the weather forecast in the places through which the plane will fly.
4. Find out the hotel numbers in the cities through which the plane will fly. If you suddenly have an emergency landing, you can quickly book a room at the nearest hotel.
5. Large planes are less dangerous. Even with strong shaking, it is quite comfortable to be inside them. Therefore, before flying, you should study what types of aircraft are offered by which airlines.
6. You should choose flights that fly frequently on your desired route. In this case, a favorable outcome is more likely if something goes wrong.

To the question: What are the “air pockets” that planes get into when flying? given by the author *@ Catherine @ * the best answer is Thermal - rising air currents in the Earth's atmosphere caused by heating of the surface layer of air under the influence of the rays of the Sun or other factors.
As you know from a school physics course, air expands when heated, while maintaining its mass. At the same time, the air density decreases and the heated air rises upward under the influence of the Archimedean force. The sun's rays passing through the air are partially absorbed by the molecules that make up the air. As a result of this absorption, the air heats up, but the magnitude of this heating cannot be compared with the heating of the Earth's surface by the sun's rays. The darker the surface, the more sunlight it will absorb, and the hotter it will become. Therefore, arable land and asphalt roads heat up the most, rocks and buildings heat up a little less, and forest and water heat up much less. Snow and ice practically do not heat up, reflecting almost all sunlight.
The following picture emerges: the sun's rays heat the surface of the Earth, the surface of the Earth heats the ground layer of air, the heated layer of air rises, cold air flows in to replace the heated air, and everything repeats. But the surface of the Earth is not uniform and it heats up differently, and accordingly the air heats up differently - somewhere stronger, somewhere weaker. Warmer air rises faster and forms an updraft region.
In the morning, when the first rays of the sun heat up an area of ​​the Earth's surface with greater absorption capacity, for example a rock in a field, the layer of air around it begins to heat up. After some time, this part of the air will fly up in the form of a bubble of warm air. Its shape is exactly like an air bubble in water floating up.
When the sun has warmed up an area of ​​the Earth well, the air begins to warm up very quickly and air bubbles merge into one continuous stream of air directed upward. The result is an invisible pipe in which the air rises to a height of several hundred meters to several kilometers. At this altitude, the air is much colder than near the ground, and the rising warm air, mixing with the cold air, quickly cools down. This causes the formation of fog - the condensation of water vapor, which we see as a cloud appearing in a clear sky.
Air that has cooled at altitude loses its buoyancy and begins to sink down, forming an annular layer of descending air around the rising air flow. Having descended, the cold air heats up again. The result is a solar-powered air pump that pumps air from the ground up and back. Moreover, it works even after sunset, as long as the area of ​​the earth remains heated.
This phenomenon, based on the phenomenon of air convection, is called THERMIC in aviation. When an aircraft hits a thermal, the aircraft experiences aerodynamic forces that create overload. Passengers perceive this overload as up and down shocks, which they explain by the presence of “air pockets” in the air.
Birds and glider pilots use thermals as a kind of elevator, lifting them upward without wasting energy. To do this, you just need to find an invisible stream of air in the air, determine where its center is and begin to circle around this invisible center of the stream.

Passengers of the Moscow-Bangkok plane were injured in the air; the Aeroflot board fell into an air pocket

About two dozen Russians who went on holiday to Thailand ended up in Bangkok hospitals after an Aeroflot flight landed from Moscow. It turned out that during the flight the board fell into an air pocket, which caused injuries to passengers. The Russian embassy is already dealing with the situation.

According to a source in Thailand, the Russian Boeing 777 unexpectedly entered an air pocket, even before the descent began. At this time, there was still no mandatory command for passengers to fasten their seat belts, so many of them were not fastened, some were even moving around the cabin. As a result of a strong shock, the plane shifted 100-200 meters, and some passengers were thrown into the aisle between the seats. They were injured when they fell. At the same time, the impact activated the emergency mode and oxygen masks were released over some seats.

According to Interfax, the main victims were those passengers who were in the rear of the plane. After the plane landed, those injured who suffered serious injuries, including fractures, were immediately sent to the hospital. The issue of hospitalization of the remaining victims is now being resolved.

In total, there were more than 300 people on board, the landing took place as usual, and there were no injuries among the crew. Currently, the plane has already departed for Moscow on the return flight.

A message on the Aeroflot website states that flight SU270 Moscow-Bangkok hit an air pocket 40 minutes before landing. It is reported that this was the so-called “Clear Sky Turbulence”, which occurs not in the clouds, but in a clear sky with good visibility and the meteorological radar cannot detect its approach. Therefore, the crew could not warn passengers about this danger in advance. The report also states that about 750 cases of clear-air turbulence are recorded annually in global civil aviation.

In turn, the RIA Novosti agency reports that according to the consul on duty at the Russian Embassy in Thailand, passengers on the plane from Moscow suffered “fractures, bruises, dislocations, and are now in the hospital.” Employees of the Russian embassy, ​​including the head of the consular department, also came to the medical facility.

The Russian Embassy in Thailand opened a hotline after an Aeroflot plane flying from Moscow to Bangkok encountered severe turbulence. As a result of the incident, according to the latest data, 25 people were injured.

“The embassy staff are already in the hospital, and a translator has been sent there,” TASS quotes Russian Ambassador to Thailand Kirill Barsky. He said that all information can be obtained by calling the Russian diplomatic mission in Bangkok +66-2-223-498-24

According to eyewitnesses, when the plane hit the air pocket, many were not wearing seat belts or were standing in the aisles between seats - these were the passengers who received the most serious injuries. According to Barsky, Aeroflot will pay compensation to all victims.

Text: Mikhail Verny,

From the ground it may seem that the clouds are clumps of cotton wool. But only children can believe this. In reality, clouds are formed by the accumulation of millions of water droplets. Sometimes even the most seemingly harmless cloudiness causes doubts among pilots.

Previously, flying an airplane was completely subject to intuition, luck and the experience of the captain. Today, flight safety has reached a higher level, thanks to the development of the aviation industry. However, not a single pilot, even the most experienced one, can insure the plane from getting into where, as a rule, lightning, hail, and an air pocket await him. What kind of phenomenon is this and should we be afraid of it?

What is turbulence?

Pilots call this phenomenon “chatter.” Some say it's an air pocket. The plane sways from side to side, and sometimes it seems as if it is jumping and flapping its wings.

Surprisingly, turbulence can occur not only when the plane enters a cloudy area. There is such a thing as clear sky turbulence. But if the weather is calm, pressure and humidity are normal, then the temperature is evenly distributed in the air. These are ideal conditions for a safe flight. And if there are clouds in the sky, then this is already an indicator that there are temperature changes. Ascending and descending ones have different pressures. When an airplane enters such zones, it begins to shake. Especially the air pocket, or rather getting into it, is felt during a flight over mountains, oceans or the sea. But you shouldn’t be too afraid of this phenomenon, since modern aircraft were initially designed taking all these points into account.

What are the dangers of turbulence?

“Bumpiness” is not a pleasant phenomenon, but it is absolutely safe for an airplane. Almost all pilots are convinced of this. But nevertheless, once they get into them, they immediately strive to leave them. As a rule, there is no accidental entry into the bumpy zone. Pilots prepare in advance for possible difficulties in flight. Therefore, they always have a couple of additional detour routes in stock.

You should know that this phenomenon cannot cause any harm to the aircraft. It will not break, fall apart or explode. But passengers have a hard time in such an environment. Those who, for one reason or another, did not fasten their seat belts may especially suffer. In this case, you can even be seriously injured.

Truth or myth?

Most passengers believe that getting into turbulence depends entirely on the skill of the pilot. But, unfortunately, neither the latter’s skills, nor experience, nor qualifications can influence this in any way. The degree of shaking is influenced solely by atmospheric conditions, as well as the weight of the aircraft itself. Heavy vehicles are more protected from this phenomenon. More precisely, the shaking in them is not felt so much.

Passengers should be aware that the aircraft crew always acts according to regulations. Sometimes a decision is made to force it. However, this does not mean at all that the ship is faulty. According to safety rules, the crew has the right to land the plane due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Rules of conduct on an airplane

Since turbulence is a natural phenomenon during flight, and air pockets are also common during flight, it is better to know how to act correctly to avoid injury. In some cases, it is impossible to influence the situation, but it is still possible to minimize the risks of serious injury.

1. You should not leave your seat when entering a turbulence zone.
2. Luggage located on the upper shelves must be well secured.
3. Unfastening your seat belts while shaking is strictly prohibited.
4. All instructions from personnel must be followed.

Air funnel - what is it?

Sometimes turbulence occurs when an airplane enters an area of ​​low pressure. Why are such phenomena dangerous?

Of course, the concept of “air pocket” is abstract. Why? There can be no holes in the air. But nevertheless, due to sudden changes in pressure, the plane suddenly begins to fall down. However, this is just how it feels. In fact, the plane falls into a downward air flow, which with its force pulls it down. In this case, the rate of ascent decreases. Then the reverse process occurs. The plane enters an updraft of air, which pushes it upward. The feeling from everything that is happening is extremely unpleasant. However, it is almost impossible to avoid such a phenomenon, since nature cannot be controlled. The only thing people can do is to increase the strength of the structure, carefully check the fastenings and mechanisms so that the aircraft can adequately cope with a difficult situation.

What to do if the plane gets into an air pocket?

To begin with, don't panic. This phenomenon is common; not a single flight over the mountains or the Pacific Ocean can do without it. However, passengers must internally prepare for it. You should not drink alcohol before or during the flight. If possible, you should stop taking medications. You should not read anything during the flight. It is better to drink water with lemon to cope with the feeling of nausea. If an airplane gets into an air pocket, it will not suffer much, since according to all the rules, only completely corrected ones are allowed to fly. There are only a few cases of plane crashes known in the world due to an airplane getting into a funnel, but they still exist. In this case, it is better to overcome air pockets with prayer. Disasters are sometimes avoided, according to eyewitnesses. But the pilot is not always able to control the controls, and real trouble happens.

How to minimize risks when flying?

Since air pocketing is somewhat dependent on weather conditions, before flying an airplane, it is best to research how you can minimize the risk of uncomfortable conditions.

1. The best time to fly is early in the day. As a rule, wind, storm, thunderstorm or hail are unlikely to occur in the morning.
2. If possible, you should choose flights without stopovers.
3. You need to study the weather forecast in the places through which the plane will fly.
4. Find out the hotel numbers in the cities through which the plane will fly. If you suddenly have an emergency landing, you can quickly book a room at the nearest hotel.
5. Large planes are less dangerous. Even with strong shaking, it is quite comfortable to be inside them. Therefore, before flying, you should study what types of aircraft are offered by which airlines.
6. You should choose flights that fly frequently on your desired route. In this case, a favorable outcome is more likely if something goes wrong.

Many who have flown on an airplane are familiar with the nerve-wracking ups and downs caused by air pockets. Strong ascending and descending vortices that create an air pocket are formed when the smooth flow of air is interrupted by temperature changes or changes in external conditions.

Differences in air temperature are explained by the fact that areas of the earth's surface emit different amounts of heat. The air over roads and sand, for example, heats up much faster than over forests or lakes. Updrafts form in fairly warm air, while downdrafts can also appear in cold air. Even when temperatures are close to each other, mountains and tall buildings that prevent air from flowing smoothly can cause air vortexes. Vortexes and funnels are formed in the air that has overcome these obstacles.

A stationary vortex cloud over the top of the volcano marks the boundary between cold air and upward warm air. Clouds like these are signs of thermal turbulence.

Tall buildings can cause vortexes when standing in the path of sustained surface winds. In the photo above, plumes of smoke represent the movement of air around models of low (top) and high (bottom) buildings. In both cases, the wind hitting the building is reflected at an upward angle. Some mountains direct air flow in this way.

Air funnels over various types of terrain

A jet aircraft flying over a heterogeneous surface (right) can fall into a thermal air funnel. Significant updrafts, marked by clouds, are possible over large sandy areas of soil that quickly warm up in the bright sun. Forests and rivers warm much more slowly, and therefore downdrafts are sometimes observed over these areas of the surface. Alternating patches of clear skies and clouds can warn of a sharp rise ahead.

Funnel in a clear sky

Clear skies are generally calm, but there are exceptions in the upper atmosphere. Near the polar front jet stream and in clear weather, an air funnel approximately 10 km high often appears. Here, where the cold polar circulation chamber and the warmer Ferrell chamber collide, air masses move at different speeds in the tropopause, which can result in strong vortices.

Mountain atmospheric waves

A deep mountain air vortex can occur when strong winds move over a mountain range and upward, and then find themselves under a stable layer of air at an altitude of about 3000 m above the peak and, deviating to the east, collapse downwards, and then form a vortex and head upward. Bulging clouds over a mountain range are a sign of the presence of mountain waves, which are common over the Rocky Mountains.