Ask the Captain: Are some routes more turbulent than others?
Question: What do pilots do to avoid turbulence? Are there routes in the continental U.S. that offer little to no turbulence?
— Submitted by reader Kevin S., Montclair, N.J.
Answer: Pilots receive a weather briefing before flights that includes known or forecast turbulence. The route of the flight is adjusted to avoid the area. Once airborne, pilots listen for reports of turbulence from other flights. Air traffic controllers often advise pilots if an altitude has been reported to be choppy. Adjusting altitude can often improve the ride if it is bumpy.
Turbulence moves as weather patterns change, making it impossible to have one route or area that is turbulence-free all year.
Ask the Captain: What exactly is turbulence?
Q: I have heard that flying from London to Singapore is one of the worst routes for turbulence. Is this true?
— Vicky, Essex, U.K.
A: There are several routes where turbulence is more common than others. I would not say that London to Singapore is the leading one. In places where high gusty wind is common, you often find turbulence. One notable example is flying into Wellington, New Zealand.
Five myths about air turbulence
Q: Is there more turbulence when flying across the Pacific than the Atlantic? Are there stretches where pilots don't have radio contact and can't divert around storms?
— Brett, Phoenix
A: I do not know of a study showing greater turbulence over the Pacific than the Atlantic.
Pilots on modern aircraft have onboard weather radar, making deviation around storms possible anywhere.
Dramatic video captures Airbus A380 landing in strong crosswind
Q: I have heard that to take advantage of a jet stream tailwind, the lower-left quadrant (in the direction of air flow) of a cross section produces a turbulent ride. Is there any way to know which quadrant a plane is entering?
— Roger Schafer, Yorba Linda, Calif.
A: No, the stronger turbulence is on the cold/low-pressure side of the jet stream, the north side in North America. It is not possible to tell the airplane position in relation to the jet stream because the jet stream moves. Forecast position and actual position can be significantly different.
John Cox is a retired airline captain with US Airways and runs his own aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems.