Severe turbulence on Air New Zealand flight after take off from Queenstown

[@chrisc395]

As a pilot I can promise you, this was most definitely not even close to severe turbulence. That was what we call "light chop."

[@christianmagnusson1641]

Its kinda obvious whats gonna happen right, shitty weather and alot of clouds. that means a bit a bumpy ride right!

[@chrisc395]

@@christianmagnusson1641 lol

[@hb1338]

It's not severe turbulence unless the flight crew shout "sit down NOW" over the intercom ! That happened to me on a descent through storm clouds into Bologna, with objects and people flying around the cabin. Not nice.

[@strvenoconnell4061]

I've seen a wing flex a lot more than that, make your asshole pucker.

[@csaba5415]

Yeah as a passenger I was waiting for the severe part throughout the entire video. I’ve been in what I’d call severe, landing in stormy weather on the West coast of Norway where sea meets tall mountains. Felt like the whole plane being pushed in three different angles at the same time, almost as if aerodynamics and engine power didn’t matter. Seconds later from completely different directions… People screaming, locals telling me how they had never been in such a bad one. It was only after arrival, travelling in the bus along the sea, seeing waves crashing that I understood how the forces of nature were at swing. It was also the most stunning and spectacular view and light and landing I had ever experienced but I was shaking for half an hour after landing. I’ve been afraid of flying ever since. At least in Northern Europe.

[@G.Bear89]

Give me those 11 minutes of my life back

[@frankslife357]

Same 😂😂😂

[@travelshad]

Ah, you saved me from wasting mine. Not going to bother. 😀

[@ahmedaldarmaki7694]

Thank you

[@Ceekoto]

😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

[@DeWeezyFBaby504]

😂 I knew it wasn’t worth watching when I started the video! Yet I still held on to see the “severe” turbulence. There’s more turbulence on a wooden roller coaster.

[@princesinha1680]

At least on camera, that appeared to be light turbulence. As a frequent flyer, I've experienced a wide range. Worst was on a flight to Brazil, when we hit a rough patch that caused the plane to unexpectedly plummet. I was stupidly not wearing my seat belt, jolted out of my seat, and hit my head on the ceiling above me. I was ok, thankfully, but that experience taught me to keep my seat belt fastened whenever seated.

[@amelapapan6625]

Lucky for you.

[@1100BFK]

Was the plane crossing the ocean ??

[@potomac5448]

Some people will never learn.

[@Tikvah99]

I agree - I kept waiting for the "severe" part, but then a passenger who's maybe never experienced true severe turbulence will consider any to be such 😄.

[@1aberbeeg]

I've heard of such mishaps and that is why, like you, my seat belt is always fastened, visits to the loo the exception.

[@dingbatt]

For those commenting on how long the flaps were out. That departure off ZQN RWY23 has speed and altitude requirements. The flap can’t be retracted until after passing those constraints (approx 10000ft). Going by the cabin, it looks like it is an Air New Zealand A321-Neo.

[@giffordious01]

Thanks. Didn’t see severe turbulence, but was wondering about the flaps being out for so long.

[@samuelkundael3503]

@@giffordious01 video stabilization, the wings tho do move mildly.

[@jenniferdow5733]

Queensland? Queenstown?

[@nikitag8690]

You do flaps climb even in a nice weather?

[@williamscottsmith4188]

nailed it

[@jerrera45]

I've always found that severe turbulence is accompanied by lots of screaming and praying.

[@bitlikethat]

Kiwis are built different

[@bigrednz69]

🤣

[@kenjames8850]

That was light to moderate turbulence at the most. Flaps out for ‘so long’ nothing to do with turbulence. More to do with the terrain, the high acceleration altitude and the fact that you don’t want to clean up and be headed in the opposite direction to where you’re going at high speed.

[@LHRAviation]

Ah yes, severe turbulence.

[@bmwm530jahreedition8]

Flaps stay at that position during low speed climb i think. If you retract those flaps you increase you stall speed.

[@fahdkamal1420]

True but mostly flaps being delayed is because of noise abatement on take off (higher acceleration altitude) best performance or angle of climb is with clean flaps at a certain low speed (airbus calls it green dot)

[@eduardbarakov3629]

I think what you meant by that is light chop, this is due to the rhythmic bumpiness

[@gian71390]

Nice sayed dude

[@adammuhsin_]

I’m a student pilot training for commercial aviation. Believe you me, when I say that that was the mild side of light turbulence. I haven’t even been in “severe turbulence” yet and I fly multiple times per week.

[@xperienceaviation3751]

Yeah, exactly this were some normal turbulences😁

[@gulfstream7235]

When your head is hitting off the roof of the plane, your eyeballs are shaking so much you can hardly read the instruments(good luck trying to enter in a new radio frequency or QNH), as for keeping the wings level or the aircraft on course or at an assigned height, only mother nature decides that...

[@alexanderdavidson7837]

Severe turbulence is when the plane is out of control. Most professional pilots have never experienced severe turbulence. It’s quite uncommon.

[@michaelb2388]

It just looks like normal turbulence to me, not severe turbulence

[@gosekinz]

typical NZ conditions ...

[@gdfggggg]

Feels different when your up there.

[@potato1084]

Yeah well you can’t really tell from the video can you

[@gilliantracy7991]

Didn't see severe at all. Light to maybe a touch of moderate at best. What I did see was a stunning departure! Thanks for sharing!

[@zhangchris9306]

Queenstown take off and departure pattern is different from other airports and this take off is perfect. The high angle turns are to avoid the nearby mountain climbing heights.

[@LeoZelaya]

I was waiting for the turbulence. Did I miss something?

[@garydreamweaver]

You flew into weather; there's no question about it. Often times, camera footage may not reflect, what you might be experiencing inside. I was a medevac nurse/ paramedic , and with each bumpy flight, they became less intimidating. There were times, when we were bounced everywhere, but by the time I was ready to end this aspect of my career, what would have been totally scary, was not scary at all.

[@jessemiranda326]

The more we fly the less afraid we are . It's only natural to have some fear because we are not always in the air .

[@vts747]

Thankfully, most passengers will only experience light to a moderate turbulence at an altitude. Just to give you some frame of reference, in a severe turbulence you won't be able to stand, walk or hold your camera, you may momentary lose the control of the aircraft (if you're a pilot). In the extreme turbulence, you can't see instruments clearly, and loss of control is more pronounced (up to a full loss of control). I've experienced major turbulence in the cockpit, in the pressurized cargo area, and as a passenger. For some reason, flying as a passenger it feels the worst (especially when overhead bins open and luggage falls down when flying over Atlantic. Yes, it did happen to me). Suggestion, become a pilot, then you are sort of in control 🙂 Fly safe!

[@AlexandrosTria]

i wouldn't want to fly with you. Seem quite unlucky

[@baileyjones159]

How did you experience turbulence in a pressurized cargo area?

[@simonnicklin1313]

This is light to moderate turbulence. It's pretty normal, so no need to worry.

[@Marcel19842010]

At best, this is mild turbulence as much as I've seen. I flew from Singapore to Manila through the foothills of a typhoon, and we had 3 hours of really moderate turbulence. The plane was going up and down, left and right throughout. I could hardly sleep because I was always banging my head against the window. It was really annoying...

[@steviesteve750]

Severe turbulence is marked by an inability to hold your phone still enough to film anything. Like other have said that's mild. I've bashed my head against the side of the window in one thunderstorm.

[@ForeverAutumn100]

We had severe turbulence once. I was terrified. No one screamed, we were all eerily silent. It was the longest fifteen minutes of my life.

[@gdfggggg]

Lol, It happens all day, every day everywhere. I get my share of anxiety though, not just in the air.

[@mattalford389]

What was severe about it???

[@johnmehaffey9953]

Like so many more people viewing this we’ve all been in worse, this to me is normal taking off over water and mountain terrain

[@steph8022]

As a nervous flyer who lived in queenstown for 18 months, I got very nervous for take off's and landings here. Definitely got the adrenaline going!

[@davisandotube]

Here in the US we call that light turbulence at most. Severe turbulence is when you see people flying up and down from their seats and baggage falling down all over the cabin., nice take off though.

[@nikeetamchutchison1547]

The clip has finished and I'm still waiting to see any turbulence let alone severe? Severe is very rare and it's to the point that people are thrown out of their seats and the aircraft drops sharply in altitude. This is a regular take off. Aircraft is climbing to cruising altitude, of course it's going to be a bit bumpy till you reach cruise.

[@galwaytribesman9289]

There'd be more turbulence if I farted in the bath tub

[@DennosManCave]

I love flying out of ZQN. One of my fave departure airports. Didn't look like severe turbulence. Looks like light chop. You need to fly into and out of Wellington for turbulence!

[@maffoop]

With my luck one time, I was in the bathroom when I heard the flight attendant say something about returning to our seats. The plane dropped and I bonked my head on the bathroom ceiling. Sigh. Making it back to my seat in turbulence was like running a marathon.

[@yoteslaya7296]

people always think turbulence is worse than it really is. If you see the flight attendants sit down and strap in, THATS severe turbulence

[@Osamabinliner69]

I've had rougher trips to the toilet! Ive also been on a flight with severe turbulence, where a stewardess hit the ceiling, overhead lockers bursting open and everything flying about and literally everyone screaming.

[@reddwarf4278]

That first sentence though! 😂 Thank you! And who among us hasn't?

[@ShimitBlast]

I flew 2 weeks out of every month for years and I'll be honest, that is what seasoned flyers would call a bumpy take-off. I remember landing in Menphis with multiple tornados on the ground in close proximity to the airport. People were screaming and some praying. I'll be honest, I didn't think I would stand on the ground in one piece again.

[@JohnMustartPsalm91]

What turbulence? I must have blinked, so I missed it. It was however nice to watch the left wing passing through the sky.

[@anonymousanonymous-ok3nn]

“severe turbulence” has a very specific definition such as substantial change in speed/altitude and momentary loss of control (remembered from my pilot’s exam). When I flew with my wife over the mountains we were like sitting in roller coaster and she kept throwing out. I was only willing to call it a “moderate turbulence” as I was still positively controlling the aircraft. It was not something fun but nothing dangerous. I would not call the situation in the video even a light chop. To make it several, I expect at least see flight attendants get tossed around along with the baggages.

[@tixie1895]

If you want to see severe/extreme turbulence, watch the passenger videos of the LATAM A320 😮 That looked terrifying. This seems pretty usual for a few lumps and bumps on takeoff.

[@Pisceanratsun]

It's mountain terrain there. And where was the turbulence?

[@cornbread1209]

This amount of turbulence was nothing compared to when I was on a 737 from LAX to SFO when the wings looked like they were flapping like a bird. According to weather map, we crossed the jet stream. I don't know for sure if that was the cause of the turbulence, but I suspect that it was.

[@jessemiranda326]

All this earth turbulence is nothing compared to UFO 🛸 interstellar travel. Talk about turbulence really !

[@earldriskill3505]

I've been on planes when I've seen the wings flap, just hope never to see one fall off.

[@pacnwguy9056]

Did the severe turbulence part of the video get accidentally edited out? Because all I saw was some light chop. This was smooth compared to what I experienced flying over the Rockies in Montana one time and landing in a severe windstorm in the Bay Area another time. There were people puking on both planes...this was nothing.

[@Dstew57A]

Never forget the sight of the first 787 flying overhead with that beautiful black livery

[@okguy1282]

Took off from Oahu during a rain storm. Pilot waited until a little clear and off we went. Normal when you pass through clouds and if it’s windy. Nothing the plane can’t handle. Nerve racking a bit. Haha. Once you go over the clouds is smooth sailing.

[@paulmartin7585]

My prayer life springs into play every time I fly in bumpy weather. At least with the airlines, you are covering ground fast and the pilots can try to find smoother air up high.

[@DrBearAviation]

Nice shot. The takeoff view of Queenstown looks spectacular even in bad weather!

[@PTNSWau]

When a galley cart puts a hole in ceiling before hanging up there for 10 seconds and then falling back down onto the seat - that’s rough.

[@eagzohio1969]

I’m an aircraft dispatcher and fly frequently - i know it seems severe to many passengers, but realistically, you encountered a few seconds of moderate turbulence interspersed with some light chop. Most of the ascent appeared to be quite pleasant actually given the mountainous terrain and weather.

[@Elle-bu6ou]

When you are a nervous flyer all turbulence is scary and severe. Just remember it’s uncomfortable but it’s safe. Allow your body to go with the bumps like on a rollercoaster. Then remind yourself that turbulence is like going on a bumpy road in a car or bus.

[@johnnalty5150]

Turbulence? When?

[@carlaeandreporai]

Where is the severe turbulance??

[@kewkabe]

Was this your first time in an airplane? That "severe turbulence" at 7:03 is actually considered "light chop" and is routine in almost every flight at some point.

[@christopherescott6787]

Flaps down for that much time tells me that was a rough climb out.Well captured.

[@45RPM45]

I was going to say the same thing the flaps extended for a long time after departure

[@_Tommmmmm_]

It’s due to a minimum climb gradient on an RNAV departure due to terrain. You literally do a full climbing circle up to 12,000ft and your max speed is 180 knots which is well below clean speed. Has nothing to do with the bumps but the SID requirements. There wasn’t even much turb either, hardly any aileron deflection.

[@CS-np2oo]

@@_Tommmmmm_ BINGO

[@krist6074]

Passengers think this is “severe turbulence”, but to pilots this was just LIGHT turbulence. Moderate at the most.

[@Patrick_Ross]

That wasn’t even moderate turbulence.😂 You’d have known severe turbulence by hearing the passengers screaming in utter panic and objects flying about the cabin. Oh, by the way….9,000 hour pilot here who has been in severe turbulence.

[@davidschafranka3975]

A nice video of the take off and departure segment. on a scale of 1-10, ten being the worst, what was the turbulence like?

[@gdfggggg]

1 by the looks of it.

[@christinejenkins4698]

Love Air New Zealand. Fab staff. Always feels confident flying with them.

[@jessemiranda326]

I love that part of the world

[@ceetee7929]

The only airline I know (and I fly number of airlines during a year) that cancelled frequent flying points which expired due to Covid!! A mean spirited company! (and Im a NZ'er)

[@orgas257]

If you think that's severe turbulence, try travelling in Indian monsoon. You will be amazed what turbulence means. This is a very very normal flight .

[@lembagnol5882]

I do not call it a severe turbulence; I went through worse

[@tomreese1511]

Your medal is in the post

[@dlvox5222]

Where id the turbulence? I was on a regional flight from Baton Rouge to Houston and watched the beverage cart and a flight attendant almost get slammed to the ceiling. Stuff everywhere. And it happened in a split second with zero warning.

[@ravipateluk]

Nice....what make camera you used?...was it recorded in 4k?

[@Zamboni-ms5iq]

Thats light, with maybe some moderate. Its not severe unless people are screaming, and the seatbelt is the only thing keeping you from coming out of the seat

[@jonas9883]

Once when I was a passenger on a 737 approaching Oslo Airport, we had some sudden turbulence where a woman that hadn't fastened her seatbelt was eject from her seat into the ceiling and hit her head, a flight attended also injured her arm, the shaking only lasted for a few seconds but thats my worst experience flying.

[@rexx9496]

People are always labeling mild turbulence as "severe" turbulence. Severe turbulence means anything not tied down would be flying around the cabin and people screaming like they're on a roller coaster.

[@thedronedownunder3919]

That's nothing. Maybe you've only had still flights until now. What is did note were flaps. We're they fully extended? Hoping a Pilot could explain

[@gregorykusiak5424]

This is light to moderate chop filmed by a nervous flyer. Their perspective on this would change if they ever took flight lessons or a trip in a small plane. Little bumps, this. When your body starts getting thrown around, THATS turbulence.

[@carlmitchell1735]

I'm not trying to minimize you're fright by any means, but this is NOT severe turbulence. At most, this was light to occasional moderate. In a severe turbulence event, people would have been violently thrown against their seat belts, and you'd have heard all sorts of noises in the cabin as baggage, beverage carts in the galleys, etc etc get slammed around even while still in their stowage areas. There are several videos of such events, check them out--one of which is the British Airways 777 over South America.

[@marcy3127]

This was similar to what happened when I was on a flight from Auckland to Dunedin. The pilot changed course to Christchurch to refuel then we flew back to Auckland.

[@Quebeck_Tv]

Fare away from heavy turbulaces my friend. But yeah little bit 👍

[@speedbrake22]

How was that severe turbulence?

[@dma79]

Do A320s make that much? Sitting at 10a or 10f at takeoff can cause a wide range of ear pain

[@dma79]

And also Latam’s a320 at 5a caused some vibrations because of noise

[@lawrencebrandstetter1133]

The wings did not flap and no one blew lunch. Severe turbulence is penetrating a T storm at 18k in a light twin (C421A). Could not read the dashboard on that hop.

[@sierrapitroskiu]

Turbulence where? Only thing I never seen before is flaps extended so many time post take off.

[@matthewcumming9135]

Not severe turbulence at all. I recently flew from Cairns to Melbourne. Mid flight the seatbelt sign illuminated and within seconds we were getting shaken about for a good 15 minutes before the pilots decided to decend to a lower altitude to avoid it. Even that was considered "mild" These pilots knew to fly steady by keeping the flaps out to help with stability. They did well

[@timothymagee2903]

A few things. He kept his flaps extended far longer then he should have, which means he was trying to get above the turbulence as fast as possible. I was on a flight that did this. We took off from Utah and rapidly climbed to 20k feet within about 4 minutes. I didn't know a passenger plane could do what he did...and it was severe! On another flight, a lady asked me why the flight was so rough, to which the UPS pilot across from her said, "lady, this is nothing, passenger planes fly around the worst stuff, I fly through it. You're more then welcome to ride with me and see what turbulence is all about!"

[@karhukivi]

Climbing to get above terrain more likely. Look at the clouds - there are no signs of Cb's anywhere, just some rain clouds.

[@neilanyon4792]

Not longer than he should have. Longer than you are used to on more standard take-off procedures. However, absolutely correct for a steep climbing turn in terrain where you are climbing at relatively low airspeeds in an attitude which offers reduced lift (banking) in variable winds and moisture. Textbook take off.

[@Patrickbartosch]

Beautiful video, but nothing "severe" about it, in my opinion. Fairly standard ZQN departure.

[@42topfkopf]

How many luggage booths opened up?

[@Warpedsmac]

Nice clean window thanks to the rain... It may have been the second thing I learnt as a trainee pilot; with cloud comes turbulence...avoid cloud if poss. This was not severe turbulence, just a bit bumpy.

[@Mr.C.RidesAgain]

That was most definitely not 'Severe' turbulence. Maybe light to moderate. Severe turbulence is when the aircraft is violently bouncing between 2000 to 3000 ft in altitude, overhead compartment doors open on their own and carry-on luggage spills onto people's heads, items loose in the cabin float in the air with each drop as passengers scream in terror, and the wings begin to flap up and down like a bird. Most people never experience heavy or 'severe' turbulence, but if you do, you will never forget it.

[@EM-od6gu]

My dad flies for American. He told me he’s only hit severe turbulence once in his career. It was landing over in Asia. They were having a typhoon and he said people were screaming and throwing up. Power full then reduce…engine roar then quiet. Apparently he nailed the landing so he says lol. Ya severe turbulence stuff starts to fall out of bins, go airborne etc. In my opinion most people think severe turbulence is moderate at most.

[@michelmarin3161]

C’est tout ??? Vous prenez souvent l’avion ?

[@bimalrai21]

The vulnerability of humans when boxed inside an aluminium can and pitted against the forces of nature.........hoping and praying that the 2 lads up front with their reassuring voices have everything under control.

[@sctmcg]

You know what really calms people during flight anxiety? Not having someone else filming the experience like they're expecting something to happen!!!! F*********

[@rickhorwell7225]

You did not experience severe turbulence, it was light to moderate turbulence if anything. Serve turbulence is when things start falling from overhead bins.

[@skogling]

I was still waiting for the severe turbulence when the clip ended.

[@iain8837]

Glad you survived, looked horrific, could hardly hear the PA system for the screaming.

[@cookiesmith8545]

Looks like a pretty nice flight.

[@mcarter985]

If you want severe turbulence, try to fly into Adak Island in Alaska. Puts a lot of rollercoaster rides to shame.

[@profdave2861]

Light to moderate turbulence at most. I’ve logged well over two thousand flights. When people come off their seats and the seatbelts pull on their hips, then you have some heavy turbulence. Not to say the ride wasn’t a bit bumpy, but that’s typical when coming up through rain or even summer cumulous clouds.

[@mikaelorsteinsson1097]

What do you mean by severe turbulence?? just a normal very light turbulence during take-off through clouds and rain.

[@backinthegame34]

I thought Wellington was the worst and Queenstown was ok ?

[@storminnormin4651]

Is it me or was that an EXTREMELY quick take off roll with what appears to be a full flight? 🤔

[@otto16121970]

It’s nothing. Some years back, I was on a flight with severe turbulence. All the passengers on the starboard side had to grab and hold on to the wing, to prevent it from breaking off from the fuselage…

[@rross47]

Must have seen the short version, saw a few bumps after a magnificent view of a magnificent area in NZ. cheers

[@KT-sq2ml]

As a nervous flyer, I can’t stand any turbulence. Thankfully I’ve never been in severe turbulence (or probably not even moderate turbulence to be honest), but ANY turbulence or bumpiness makes me a wreck. 😢

[@normatible9795]

Where?

[@Meeshamac1]

Looking pretty standard to me! Hope you loved your time in NZ x

[@beverleyleach3198]

Hi Chris can you tell us all Can plain crash with Turbulence ????

[@Chrisbackgroovey]

You poor girl, I could see you shaking. I have flown all over the world and this flight would have been fun because I enjoy some bumps. This isn’t severe turbulence at all, hope you’re more confident flying next time and smile with the bumps! ✈️

[@Neurodivergent_Nat]

Despite the weather, such a beautiful view of the mountains with the weather and clouds!!

[@mariannehoutzager9093]

In 2007 the Transavia Boeing 737 "Tamarinde" from Venice to Amsterdam flew into a cumulonimbus cloud because the air was filled with it, and suddenly it seemed if someone kicked the plane aside. We fell down a couple of minutes and the pilot had lost the controls completely. Everyone screamed, men and women. I did' nt because I am a pilot myself and was looking if we could escape the fall. And after a couple of minutes the plane got the controls back and then everybody wanted an explanation from the captain. He did not say a word until five minutes later his tiny voice sounded: "From now on it only can be better!"

[@gidhig3535]

Flown in and out of Queenstown last 17 years on countless occasions. Nothing wrong with that take off. Try being on a Boeing 747 with an engine fire and making an emergency landing en route to LA. That was freaky.

[@scottjones758]

Looks normal to me.

[@felipegacitua4451]

We took off from the same airport last year on our way home from our honeymoon. Felt lots of turbulence in this area too. More so on the landing.

[@tvflight7858]

The title is a stupid clickbait, but what a stunning departure it was! I'd love to experience that!

[@hussainahmedsherpuri]

Did I miss the "severe" turbulence?

[@dddaddy]

This seems mild, although I wasn't there so can't know for sure. But severe turbulence is very rare. This is a nice looking plane interior though.

[@StanWatt.]

Wow. That was rough, roughest I've ever seen, How did you survive that? All that screaming of terrified peopzzzz.......