Can Turbulence Make An Airplane Crash? | Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains...

What causes airplane turbulence? On this explainer, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice break down the aerodynamics that lead to airplane turbulence. Could turbulence make your plane go down?
We break down why a plane will not crash due to turbulence and also why you might want to keep your seatbelt on. What would it be like to fly into a hurricane? Is it as hazardous as you would think? Learn about airplane testing and how the wings of an airplane bend. Plus, check out Chuck’s laminar flow…
Get the NEW Cosmic Queries book (5/5 ⭐s on Amazon!): amzn.to/3dYIEQF
Support us on Patreon: / startalkradio
FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk:
Twitter: / startalkradio
Facebook: / startalk
Instagram: / startalk
About StarTalk:
Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
#StarTalk #neildegrassetyson
00:00 - Airplane Turbulence & Jello
03:30 - Wear Your Seatbelt
05:46 - Flying into Hurricanes
07:48 - Airplane Testing & Simulating
11:00 - Helicopters & Laminar Flow

[@SirJer]

I'm a pilot. I wish they had discussed what turbulence is. Because it's really not all that dangerous. Planes don't just crash due to turbulence. Engine failure is also not as dramatic as it sounds. During training we actually do engine out maneuvers... on purpose. I just don't think scaring people when there's nothing to be scared of is wise.

[@vansdan.]

a good analogy is cutting a car engine at speed. you don't suddenly crash, just find a good stopping (landing) spot

[@mariusils]

What about severe turbulence? Isn’t that enough to break the plane apart? I know the wings are flexible and all, but my main “fear” is that the bolts used to attach the wings to the body of the plane may snap.

[@alvaroq2024]

I’m not a pilot. Most of us have been on an airplane when they announce some turbulence on the way. For me it wasn’t that bad, just a minor inconvenience, but for some people it was like the end of the world. The less we know about what could go wrong in the air, the better.

[@loganwolf39]

😬

[@SirJer]

@@mariusils it's highly unlikely. Smaller planes, like 4-6 passenger are susceptible to wind-sheer (mostly in thunderstorms) but even then it's not a cracking in two, it's a loss of control. Outside of that, very little circumstances would take down even a small aircraft. Large airliners can endure a lot more. Even a 200 foot drop in an airpocket (which doesn't happen too often, thanks to modern radar) is child's play for a large aircraft. If any damage was to occur, the plane would still fly you home. Just might not be cleared to take-off without inspection.

[@garylewis4398]

Once, on a flight to Florida, we flew through a line of thunderstorms located at the panhandle that was too wide to fly around. It was a wild ride. So much so that I could see the aisle flexing up and down like waves on water!

[@GlenHunt]

Nah, I don't buy this. I saw the Twilight Zone episode with William Shatner. It's totally gremlins.

[@sagittariusa2008]

Or John Lithgow in the remake...

[@hardryv3719]

I appreciated the John Lithgow version more, but yeah.

[@brenda5511]

Gremlins for sure, Glen.

[@GlenHunt]

@@sagittariusa2008 How could I forget that version?! That one was WAY creepier!!

[@JamesCAlien]

Lithgow one gave me nightmares at 13

[@Heartbreaker121895]

Seeing a notification for this channel always makes me happy ☺️

[@SpaceMiner007]

Thanks Neil for explaining stress points on airplane prototypes for the sake of reassuring my wife and her family about the safety of air travel.

[@michaelccopelandsr7120]

After spending 2 seasons as an Alaskan fisherman, I never once got airsick as an enlisted aircrew member. Turbulence was a perk!

[@diesel46809]

Sweet another video, can't get enough of these 2 guy's. Keep up the great work.

[@Beegee1952]

While a f/a we were on initial approach to land (I was locking down the galley) when the junior pilot flew through a big cumulus cloud tossing me up like a ball and dropping me down with a thud. Most colorful bruise on my hip and thigh ever. Took months to heal, but the B767 was fine!

[@paulymac5513]

Also, the rotors on a helicopter act like a gyro to keep the helicopter stable in flight. If the engine goes out you can autorotate the helicopter SAFELY to the ground. I was an Army helicopter mechanic, pilot, and A&P mechanic from way back.

[@extraordinaaron]

+1 for autorotation

[@setajucizbun7073]

Wdym by safely rotate I just wanna know more about this now

[@extraordinaaron]

@@setajucizbun7073 basically turns the rotating blades into a sort of parachute. It is a bit complicated to really explain in a comment. Here is a video I really like that explains it in detail kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIXUpmyfgs6Df7c time stamped in case you don't want to watch the whole thing.

[@setajucizbun7073]

@@extraordinaaron tyvm very appreciated!

[@lukefricke2968]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIXUpmyfgs6Df7c Neil talks crap that he doesn’t know about sometimes.

[@SpaceMiner007]

While a flight in my uncle's six seater Apache Cessna, while flying from SoCal to Arkansas, all seven of us experience major turbulence while flying over New Mexico and Texas. Thank God for barf bags!

[@anchitsharma5079]

Really enjoying these talks , the blend of science and sarcasm is on point . keep them coming

[@brenda5511]

Chuck’s pilot impersonation! Spot on 😂

[@jdugger8679]

Looking forward to this video.

[@suzannepoffel2160]

I'm on the Big Island of Hawaii I fly back and forth all the time. When I'm on a small sailboat and fly as fast as the wind the boat seems to stop (its no) it feels like it is still. Such an amazing feeling!

[@thelloyd87]

I’m learning to fly in a little Savanna and the first couple times a gust of wind crossed just right made the whole plane move up or down a few feet dropped my stomach. It also has a parachute but if you use it the wings are almost sure to snap off.

[@sawluke]

This is by far my favorite program to watch. NDT is my hero.

[@taylorbrown1061]

I was just wanting to research this last weekend

[@DGPHolyHandgrenade]

Something to note as well that modern flight paths and cruising altitudes prevent most turbulence that many experience in the earlier days of commercial flight; like in the 50's 60's and 70's. Now planes fly higher to get away from turbulence making for a relatively smooth flight most of the time. Storms are still a thing and turbulence still happens, but it's greatly diminished to what used to be the norm.

[@michaelmazza6293]

Excellent insight Mr. TYSON

[@Jager-er4vc]

5:45 My dad was a flight engineer on the C-130 hurricane hunters out of Bixoxi

[@retipserjayzoom]

Hi Neil, thanks for sharing such precious knowledge for the uninitiated like me. Your videos are enlightening. Would you be able to touch upon the whole aspect of "ancient apocalypse" which i saw recently on Netflix either through Collab or your own views around it

[@mortophobegaming6454]

One situation where you want chaotic flow is a heat exchanger. Laminar flow layers stick to the surface, creating technically an insulation layer. The temperature gets mixed better in chaotic flow, increasing conductivity

[@penta4568]

Amazing how this come out as I’m about to go through TSA pre check

[@sekaramochi1944]

Love you guys, please please please never stop ❤️

[@ExpertGTAMortgage]

Well this answered the turbulence question. Thanks Neil and Chuck!

[@frederickingrando5469]

I love you man! I always learn something new and fascinating when I watch one of your videos! I wish I knew how much you know about the universe and beyond!

[@ChanningKing]

I know exactly what Chuck means: the coldly logical part of my brain, the part that loves math, science and reason, knows the risk from turbulence is minimal, but the emotional, irrational part still goes, “Nope.”

[@erich930]

Turbulence in general is just the plane passing through air that is kind of swirling around. The plane is moving in a direction through air. When the air around the plane suddenly changes speed or direction, a force is exerted on the airframe and we feel that as turbulence.

[@yj7671]

Please make a video on siphon effect

[@bballanalytics1552]

Chuck still at it with that flow baby!!!

[@edholohan]

You two guys are so funny! Your videos make my day! Thanks

[@davidyoung518]

As a paramotor pilot, I am as informed as possible, and still am always learning more about wind conditions. From regular turbulence to rotor from trees and buildings which can be more deadly than thermal turbulence. And we have respectfully nicknamed helicopters "Sky Blenders", do not want to be any where close to their wake turbulence!!

[@cleverusername9369]

Neil's only dance move being the Moon Walk makes more sense than anything else I've heard today.

[@karatsurba4791]

Thank you 🙏for the education Question: At 6:35, the scenario mentioned should boost the speed of the plane running @ 500 miles / hr, by an additional 200 (rotational speed of the hurricane) if the plane is in the direction of the hurricane. So, why does Neil say the speed of the plane would be 500 miles / hr relative to the earth (shouldn't it be 700 miles/hr) & the speed with respect to the hurricane should also be 500 miles /hr (700 - 200)? Thank you for reading

[@alekosCuba1986]

Hi: I know this is way out of topic but, I was watching the Cosmos series (the one narrated by Neil) and got to the chapter where he explains why you never actually touch anything, you just feel the push back from the atoms of the object you're touching. A doubt came to my mind and it is: why the atoms in your left hand (for example) stick to each other and doesn't transfer to your other hand when touching even when they are made from the same substance? Maybe it is a silly question, but I had to ask. If there's any video out there that has the answer, please share! Thanks in advance and apologies about my english, it is not my native tongue

[@eddieheron1939]

Turbulence is one thing, but ‘wind shear’ is something else. I still find it fun, but for those prone to screaming at the slightest . . . The ‘best’ one was attempt to land in KL from Hong Kong April 2009. Pilot gave up after 3rd attempt - redirected to Penang inc fuel splash

[@RustyChapman]

With regards to the 'bend it till it breaks', there's a 50s movie about just that, faure analysis as part of a crash investigation. I think Jimmy Stewart had the lead role. It was an interesting movie.

[@athang3]

The "jiggle factor". Is this a new unit of measurement or an equation that we need to know before making these dishes in midwest? 😄

[@originalvonster]

Thanks guys. No idea what you were talking about but laminar flow pique my interest. Does laminar flow occur in the vocal tract or is that turbulent flow?

[@scyz2807]

I am a hang glider pilot and have experienced all sorts of turbulence. Since gliders can climb in thermals, they are the most common types of turbulence we encounter. Thermals are pockets or even columns of air that are warmer than the surrounding air and therefore rise up through that surrounding cooler air. But there is a boundary between the cooler air and the warmer air. Lets say that the cooler air is staying still and the warmer air is flowing upwards through it. Think of standing on the bank of a swiftly moving steam/river then walking into the stream/river. You will quickly feel yourself being pushed along with the water flow. With air there is a turbulent area between the relatively stationary cool air (that may be moving horizontally as wind) and the warmer air that is rising and moving vertically through it. The transition between the two air masses can feel bumpy. Thermals can be VERY strong and larger powered aircraft can "hit" one and be pushed upward briefly. That can feel like hitting a large bump. Of course air that is moving up as a thermal needs air to fill in beneath it and get out of its way as it pushes upward. This also produces turbulence. There is also turbulence between slower moving air and the Jet Stream. Commercial jets often enter the jet stream (which flows west to east) in order to save fuel. It's much easier to "go with the flow" than it is to fight against it. So, as an aircraft enters the Jet Stream there can be significant turbulence.

[@shutterflashback]

Something I’ve been thinking about every so often

[@michaeldeane3168]

Can you do an explainer on airfoils?

[@byron.jennings]

I live right next to Boeing, and I've seen them touch the wing tips above the fuselage without them breaking off, which baffles my mind, but it just goes to show how well most of the passenger planes are made.

[@TaijDevon]

Degrees in Physics and math and Boeing wouldn't hire me. I wasn't good enough. Despite Vassar being a top tier college. Dude said to me 'go get your masters at least and we will talk again'. They aren't messing around. Intel hired me if you did not get the idea.

[@megawave79]

@@TaijDevon yep.

[@shasmi93]

@@TaijDevonI have a degree in listening to music and tripping mushrooms… you think Boeing would hire me? I live in Colorado Springs. Lots of Boeing magic here. Along with other magic ;)

[@TaijDevon]

@@shasmi93 I don't know, but making a few thousand tons navigate the sky safely sounds like you got some engineer in you. Intel hired me, so take your shot.

[@hardryv3719]

My thanks to Chuck for not going *_full_* comedian and reverting to a Cosby impression across dozens of clear 'jello' mentions.

[@kevinoverholtzer3126]

i always thought a plain should have a parachute although if it were over the ocean or something happened while landing the parachute would be useless.

[@upsjetmechanic5647]

Airflow across the top of the wing will sometimes benefit (create more lift) from NOT flowing smoothly. Several larger aircraft have "vortex generators" positioned along the top of the wing to specifically disrupt the smooth flowing air thus creating a lower pressure zone to aid in lift.

[@wjpperry1]

Love this show! Even though Chuck is like a funny talking rectangular prism when the camera is only showing his head.

[@theauldscientist]

I was always told it was something called microbursts that give planes trouble. Think there’s been a few notorious cases of these and there’s certain parts of the sky that planes don’t go near. Mount Fiji, from memory, was one such place.

[@wickedeye00]

Microbursts occur closer to the ground and has been the cause of many accidents. Turbulence is much safer because the plane has room in the sky to go higher or lower. Microbursts are not noticable unless another pilot reports it during their take off or landing for everyone to be aware.

[@pk7549]

In a microburst, turbulence isn't the danger, it is the wind shear.

[@davidbryant2872]

This video would have been better, clearer, if some graphics were used to illustrate what turbulence is.

[@thewb8329]

They should have had a guest expert in this episode to clarify theory vs practice of aircraft turbulence.

[@m.r.jarrell3725]

I was on a trans-Atlantic flight from Europe to JFK many years ago and we hit turbulence. It was rough and, at one point, the plane dropped over 100 feet straight down (no nose dive, just the plane dropping straight down). Pretty much spoiled flying for me!

[@UpRyzeQueen]

Holy crap! I would have most definitely freaked out 😅

[@debi7227]

Similar happened to me. Hit turbulence, plane dropped, and seat-belted me banged her head on the overhead bin bottom. Was bruised for days.

[@xjpsmithx]

I guess it's a prerequisite to announce, "I am a pilot." Most turbulence (not associated with convective activity) or CAT (clear air turbulence) is a general change in wind speed and/or direction and is mostly not dangerous. However, the turbulence associated with rapidly developing thunderstorms, in particular, have been documented to cause localized columns of updrafts and/or downdrafts that most certainly have the force to cause structural damage to aircraft.

[@jGRite]

If I get a chance I'll use laminar flow one day. That was smooth Chuck in fact... noice.

[@karimamin2]

There are videos demonstrating how flexible wings are. Turbulence no longer scares me

[@mita6010]

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has the most beautiful and strong wing design. I read somewhere that they tested the wing , and it could withstand a 25 foot movement.

[@lauriwiiala5819]

When I was kid, I sat in a plane next to wing and there was heavy turbulence. I looked the wing go up and down like it was a bird. I have never been so scared in my life.

[@compassbow]

Sharing!!!!.

[@rorajoey]

If you ever want to delve more deeply into this kind of turbulence (or aviation in general), I'd like to see you invite a guest pilot like Petter Hörnfeldt who runs the Mentour Pilot and Mentour Now KZbin channels. He did at least one video focusing on this topic (v=EuLURmITq_E). One of his goals is to address the concerns of people who are nervous about flying.

[@Surrealblues]

I love turbulence for the joy of feeling it, amazed at how it moves the airplane, and watching how the planes structure handles it!

[@grejen711]

Cirrus is the pioneer of the Ballistic Recovery System. They did a great job of marketing it as a 'last resort save your life' thing so pilots would buy their aircraft. It has saved lives but it has also been deployed unnecessarily.

[@TheKingofkrypton]

I feel like a jello mold isn't a great metaphor for a big air pocket. The jello mold sticks to itself, so it's components are stationary relative to each other, but air, as a gas, is even more chaotic than a liquid, with the particles sliding all around each other. When something disturbs the air pocket you're in the whole thing does move in a generally same direction, but with all the particles sliding around each other you can drop straight through the pocket if the wrong set of circumstances upsets your wings' ability to glide over the oncoming air. I'd say the possibility of a catastrophic failure seems low, but I think this would have more intuitive if, as SirJer points out, NDT and CN had at least informally defined turbulence. Always a good show, though. Love you guys.

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

Thanks for putting some turbulence in my jello!🤪 I just figured out how my mom made the foamy jello layers!

[@NachoMan154]

Bach is the classical composer with the best flow, because in german "Bach" means "Small River".

[@hiigara1]

How have I only today found this channel!!chuck makes such a great side addition to Neil. Neil thank you for everything you do. The world is a better place for it

[@nemmienuu9794]

Lord Chuck is the man!!! Makes my day!

[@iwill6002]

Very envious of you. The cosmic queries are also awesome. There’s a more than healthy assortment of topics that they cover.

[@paulhaynes3170]

What about wake turbulence?

[@agmessier]

The Jell-O analogy doesn't exactly hold, because the mass is concentrated in the fuselage and the aerodynamic lift acts on the wings. So even when larger-scale turbulence comes, it's causing the wings to push and pull on the fuselage, so you'll have wing root bending and flapping even with large-scale turbulence. Not to say this is dangerous because as you say the wings can deflect a great deal before any damage would occur.

[@Robbie_jojo]

Great

[@45thpaace]

I really enjoy hearing Neil DeGrasse Tyson talk about various things, but when it comes to aviation I would say he needs some flight training. As an airline pilot and over two decades of aviation experience, I can confirm turbulence can damage an aircraft. However, the intensity of the turbulence would have to be so extreme that the aircraft would be uncontrollable. Airliners are engIneered to withstand turbulence that would sent everything inside flying around the cabin.

[@MrGarciaJr]

My flight to Vegas was more stressful to me then the plane. Wings were flapping like a bird!

[@gsav1320]

Mic was crazy in this one

[@stephenmccreery6511]

Its not only wind speed but direction relative to the direction of the planes travel

[@gildedbear5355]

That turbulence can move the plane out from under you so wear your seat belt is why you should ALWAYS wear your seatbelt on a plane. It is ENTIRELY possible for the plane to fly into a region of turbulence that the pilots were not aware of so it IS possible for the plane to drop out from under you (or heave upwards) with no warning at all. edit: on aircraft parachutes: putting full aircraft parachutes on planes has NOTHING to do with a lack of confidence in the engineering of the aircraft. It's lack of confidence in the ability to predict what terrible situations the pilots may find themselves. Example, there's a story out there of a young student pilot whose landing gear fell off the plane on takeoff. The shear terror in her voice when she's informed of that was palpable. The tower got her flight instructor on the radio to talk her through it and she made a safe landing (considering that she was missing one of her gear). If the plane had a chute she could have just flown up to a safe altitude and pulled the chute. Pilots train for lots of different scenarios but there are always scenarios that you have not trained for (either because you're new enough that you haven't gotten to that training yet or because the scenario is so rare that people don't think to train for it). Airframe parachutes are so that there's ONE DEFAULT response to terrible things happening; you pull the chute. wing or tail fell off? pull the chute. ran out of gas? pull the chute. Engine throws a piston rod? pull the chute. pilot has a brain aneurism? passenger pulls the chute. If continued flight has become DANGEROUS then PULL THE CHUTE. Your life is worth more than the aircraft; the chute gets YOU (and any passengers or cargo) safely to the ground when terrible things happen. with all safety gear, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[@huntermarshall]

I'm not a big fan of flying for this reason. I love your videos. Keep it up. I also just made Jello for Thanksgiving... 😂

[@LEDewey_MD]

Another great video of StarTalk! And Chuck, let us know about your next dragon flight!

[@sidoubenras7277]

Great vid , thx brothers. i heard that planes of today are the safest transportation method out there, i mean they have redundancies in abundance so... the helicopter doesn't fly, it beats the air so bad that the ground gets scared away :)

[@cherylcalac8485]

Once on a flight to Las Vegas from Los Angeles with my mother there was a lot of turbulence. we landed OK and then in the ladies room there were two flight attendants talking and they said I didn’t think we were going to make it!?!

[@andrewm8429]

Weird question, dont hate me...but i heard that the size difference of a plank length to the size of an average tree is about the same size difference between that tree and the observable universe...is that true?

[@vansdan.]

this is so perfect, im getting on a plane tomorrow for guatemala. what a weird coincidence

[@HexerPsy]

Its much compareble to going offroad on a vehicle. Where your good road is even and smooth, most air is smooth as well. However, for all kinds of reasons, some air isnt smooth but swirls, waves, etc. Unlike most cars, planes are designed to handle a lot of turbulance. And pilots are trained to predict turbulance if they can see it. Like certain clouds are likely to have turbulent air. Weather reports and pilots informing other pilots helps avoid areas. But you cant see clear air turbulance. If drivers would be as communicative and safety concerned we would rarely see traffic accidents.

[@SuperPol1981]

1:45 that sound.... 😵‍💫

[@karukoffa4779]

When Niel laughs at Chuck's jokes you know how good a comedian chuck is.....😂

[@ting280]

nah Chuck's killing me with the Waterman Serenity Blue

[@samueldelatorre7752]

Sir Chuck I can't put my finger on it but I believe laminar is used in a rap song. I'm almost sure I've heard it before

[@solomenagerie1981]

So the reason Cirrus planes have parachutes is because they're actually not generally capable of recovering from a stall. They're designed for fuel efficiency and speed, and as a result their Center of Gravity is towards the rear which prevents the pilot from forcing the nose down during a stall.

[@feedingravens]

Every (model airplane) glider will tell you that when one wing lifts up, you curve in AGAINST this movement. You want to go exactly there, because there the air is going UP, taking you along, and when the air rises up faster than you sink, you gain height. In the time where the gliders still had rather poor performances, (in the 1920 and early 1930s, mainly Germany, because powered flight was forbidden after losing WW I) they often started into advancing stormfronts, as there the thermals are especially strong. Led to a number of accidents, the drafts could be so violent that they broke up you plane from spruce, plywood and fabric, you could be lifted faster than you could dive down that you got so high and suffocated, and when you jumped out and opened the parachute too early, the uplift could suck you back up and you suffocated or froze to death.

[@davidwood2387]

At the end of October I would see a downburst of air taking all the leaves small branches off my tree every year . Lay them down in one place .

[@DJROBLOX.]

Hey Neil, can I be in one of your videos? I live in Canada so our timezones will work.

[@DanielSosnoski]

If the pilot comes on the speaker and says, "Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts," it's a warning to anyone who unfastened their seatbelt. Experienced fliers ALWAYS have the seatbelt on. All we might do is loosen it a bit. Only take it off if you need to move in the cabin.

[@ronbednarczyk2497]

There's a great movie "No Highway in the Sky" staring Jimmy Stewart who portrays an aeronautical engineer who predicts that a new model of plane will fail catastrophically and in a novel manner after a specific number flying hours.

[@co_husker3343]

Chuck with his, half-way... understandably... almost Cosby jokes regarding Jello. "Like, should I go there? Nah.. I'll trickle it in the humor..." Hilarious!

[@derlijunior6402]

Air flow around airfoils is ALWAYS turbulent during flight. What controls it is something called Reynolds number.

[@celesteschacht8996]

Love you guys, I always need educational especially with lots of laughs!!!✈🛩😘

[@qgde3rty8uiojh90]

Please, mr DeGrasse Tyson. Do an explanation on the physics of the moonwalk. Of course while showing off your own wicked skills! The world needs it. 😋

[@earthkingdomgaming8759]

As far as engines go on commercial aircraft. If the engine goes out for whatever reason, the plane will still fly perfectly fine. In aviation we put redundancies all over the place so the aircraft needs only one engine to fly. Most commercial planes have 2 to 4

[@curriecraig]

Turbulence won't stop a plane from flying, but it can AND HAS killed unsecured people in aircraft before. As a crew member, I have seen colleagues injured before by sudden rattles and drops. Speaking to Niel's scenario of hitting the ceiling this is not theory. I believe around 2001 a Cathay crew member hit the ceiling and was killed by either a broken neck or trauma to the head. Yet somehow it is surprisingly hard to impress upon passengers - especially those with infants and small children - the merits of fastening their seatbelts. It's like as soon as they get their boarding pass they leave their brains at the check-in desk.

[@user-qo4hc6jf1l]

My thoughts. # turbulence is cause by different atmosphere pressure including wind speed n the weight of the wind it’s has some mass to it dry or cold or with water it’s has some density to it when crossing over to different atmosphere turbulence will come n what’s high u r flying

[@Naught359]

If the answer isn't yes, it's wrong. The fact that pilot error alone can cause a plane to crash means, if you have turbulence and pilot error, the possibility is irrefutable possibility.

[@user-tc2ud9fz3w]

I started to binge watch your show but just could not get past the jokes. I feel for you having to put up with them, I can see it is hard for you too. I will try a few more but I dont think it will help. I hav e learned so much that I could have used when Teaching Automotive Technology, but retired a few years back.

[@FPVREVIEWS]

The size of pockets of turbulence matching the size of the airplane is mostly irrelevant because the airplane can transition suddenly from one air mass to another, creating the stress. That is called wind shear. Still, it cannot break the airplane in flight (impossible) if the plane is flown below the maneuvering IAS (airspeed). because the plane's wing will stall first. As the aircraft speed and angle of attack of the wing match the angular velocity of the new air mass into which it has flown, the wing will start producing lift again. actually most commercial aircraft are only rated for 2.5g's. which is enough to survive at their rated maneuvering air speed. Helicopters are simply rotary wing aircraft. They do not fall like a brick. They can auto rotate, using the exact same principle as an airplane gliding. Neil needs to consult an expert, about things which he does not know. His general knowledge is impressive, but aviation is not part of his knowledge to the extent that he thinks. Sorry Neil. Love you brother.

[@1234larry1]

What about wind shear that has caused planes to crash on takeoff.

[@balpienhammerer9468]

Granted, turbulence in fixed wing aircraft is something to be reduced, there are other flight modes. Bees fly using induced turbulence vortices.