I remember many years ago flying with Dan Air (remember them!) from Birmingham to Minorca. It was on a BAE 1-11. We took off in thundery weather, as we were climbing, there was a bang, and the plane just dropped. Everyone onboard screamed. The plane then continued to climb, it was silent inside, and the ride up was very very bumpy. Afterwards the pilot said we hit an air pocket going up. That was really bad turbulence, and I was only young then!

Coming back from Minorca we had a Dan Air 727, which had been hit in the nose by a bird upon landing. The pilot said it was safe to fly, but we had to fly at 13,00ft ( I think) and at reduced speed, so the flight back took nearly 4 hours. The views however on the way back, at such a low altitude were amazing.

More recently, last year with Easyjet flying back from Palma, we were at 35,000ft, blue skies, very smooth. I looked out of the window think we were over Spain, and just saw this wall as black cloud, never seen anything like it before. I fastened my seatbelt, and thought, this dont look too good. As we entered the cloud you couldnt see a thing, not even the wing. Then, we just got thrown around like a rag doll. The steward in the isle fell down on the floor, and from his face he was clearly scared, we were sat at the back, and as he walked to the back of the plane to strap in he said to the other stewardess, "god this is bad". For 10-15 mins, we went in all directions. It was horrible. Then, as soon as it started, it stopped. We came out of the wall of cloud and all was calm. The pilot said we hit clear air turbulence.

Generally I dont mind it, if its a day flight, because I can see the horizon! I hate turbulence during a night flight. Flying back from the Dom Republic last year we had niggly turbulence for about 4 hours on the way back to Gatwick, but the pilot kept coming on the tannoy and was quite funny and reassuring about it. He said "ladies and gentlemen, as my tea is starting to spill into my saucer it means I have to put the seat belt signs on" which was quite amusing.

Flying to the states and Canada on 777's I have experienced turbulence, but on these aircraft you hardly feel it. My partner is a stewardess and has some stories to tell about bad turbulence, such as lights going off inside the plane, people being sick everywhere, and rollercoaster rides of a flight!

However, i'm not at all scared of the plane crashing, as a pilot once said to me "you just have to ride it out and let the plane find its way through the storm". I'm more worried about being sick or ill on the plane and making a fool of myself! Turbulence will not make an aircraft crash.

Sounds like you had some eventful flights, 13000ft is awfully low Minorca to Gatwick! Dan Air and Easy jet, whos is better? Probably Dan air

I came back Faro-Cardiff in a BMI Baby 737 a couple of years ago. I'd seen the weather forecast and it was for thunderstorms over Spain, France and the sea. Unfortunately I got seated in the middle of a large party of rather loud "loadsofmoney" types who seemed hell bent on spending all their left over euros on the drinks trolley. So they missed the announcement that we would be climbing to stay over the bad weather.
Good plan - except the weather didn't move south as fast as predicted and extended over England so having missed most of it the pilot then had to decend rather steeply through the tailend of a thunderstorm. To those who weren't paying attention it felt like we were trying to dive bomb Cardiff and they were firing back at us! Outside it went black and inside it went quiet (thus proving that every cloud really does have a silver lining!!). As the shaking and banging got worse the rowdies went paler and were gripping the armrests (and each other) when suddenly the 4 year old sitting on the knee of the bloke next to me suddenly shouted "Wowee Dad!". I nearly wet myself laughing...

Many years ago I was flying back on a 747 with BA from Washington DC to Heathrow and while we were over New York we were flying over a thunderstorm. The seat belts and no smoking lights were on, but the cabin crew were so desperate to give everyone drink & food they came through the cabin on their hands and knees! I don't think they had much custom! I have never seen a plane shake so violently, the seats were shaking. At the time it was quite scary, but looking back it was quite funny especially with the cabin crew still working through this storm. The thing to bear in mind though is the plane is designed to shake, because if it wasn't it would just break up and at 30,000 feet plus, your not going to be struck by lightening are you.

I wouldnt want to flying tonight as theres a severe gale warning out for the North East!.I dont know whether this will affect flights tonight.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/World/German-plane-struggles-to-land-in-high-winds-/1204571848.html

and you thought your landing was bumpy!

Yup, I flew through an electrical storm when I was going to Italy with my family when I was in my mid-teens. I was watching a storm a few miles away from my window seat, fascinated by it all until we started flying through it! A couple of bright white flashes was followed by one of the biggest bangs I have ever heard as lightning hit our fuselage. One of the stewardesses screamed, which didn't help! The pilot came on straight away to say we had been hit by lightning but we had nothing to worry about, all was ok.
Even hearing that, it was still 'bicycle clip' time!!

when we got off the plane there was a huge 'scorch' mark on the fuselage where it hit - scary but not a problem!!

TC

Coming in to Manchester on Saturday morning (22nd March 08) was rather hair-raising. Sat on the last row of an A330-200 you feel everything. The weather at the airport, for an 05L landing was northerly 21 knots gusting 42. This is pretty strong and approaching the limits of some aircraft types for x-wind landings. I beleive the airport is diverting traffic this morning due to the gusting winds from the north-west. Anyway, from our descent over north Wales in to Manchester, we were getting thrown about all over the place. I'm not a nervous flyer, I love flying and the longer the flight the better but even I was a little aprehensive on this approach! I could hear the cabin crew sat behind commented on the turbulent nature of the approach. The pilot in command, the first officer since the captain was making announcements warned us of a turbulent approach and he wasn't wrong. We were buffeted and thrown about all over the place, certainly the most turbulent approach I've ever experienced. I've never seen as many full sick bags as I did when disembarking that flight (BD722 from Antigua). I wanted to get some cabin shots of premium economy and busines lass cabins but it was in a bit of a mess so didn't bother!

It just goes to show though, both Airbus and Boeing build aircraft that are strong enough to cope with any weather and the flight crew are highly trained and experienced to fly under those conditions. Even with the turbulent approach, the landing was as smooth as the graceful A332 normally is. I bet they actualy like the challange of those conditions!

Darren

I've never been a fan of the back end of anything Airbus. First time I was ever airsick was at the rear of an A310 - the tail seems to "shimmy", which combined with a bit of air turbulance is NOT a nice experience - I sympathise.

I remember trying to deliver a load sheet to a Captain on a Shorts 360 which had just landed from Dublin into Leeds in TERRIBLE cross-winds and having to walk up the aisle on the armrests as the interior was a tribute to yet another hairy approach in a "flying shed"!! Glad I wasn't on the return flight as there is only so much the cleaners can do in a 45 min turnround!!!

come on.. we know how well built modern aircraft are,and how well trained the flight crew are, the only problem is the cargo and don't forget if you get up,out and walk away it's a good landing

daz.. hats of to the flight crew

brian

I can't say I've ever noticed any difference from a passengers perspective in anything Boeing, Airbus, Embraer or whoever builds it. There are slight technical differences and Airbus' yaw-damping system is probably slightly more noticable, but nothing I can say differenct to other manufactures. It's the length of the aircraft, ie the distance from the centre of gravity and your position in relation to it that makes the most differnce. The further away, the more you feel the aircrafts movements. On a smooth day, I've never noticed any difference (having travelled at the front and rear of 747-400's and A340-300's).

As Brian says, any one you walk away from is a good one! Manchester is getting back to normal now after 23R was closed earlier after snow and winds calming to 13kt gusting 28 so not as bumpy on approach!

Darren