Is turbulence dangerous?
Not to the airplane. Airliner structures must carry their maximum expected loads with a 1.5 factor of safety on top.3 The NTSB's study of US airline turbulence accidents found most involved serious injuries inside the cabin but no damage to the aircraft.1 The fix is simple: keep your seat belt on whenever you're seated.2 Read the full explainer: Can turbulence make a plane crash?
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Keep reading
- Turbulence: uncomfortable, but not dangerous to the airplane
- That noise! A guide to normal sounds on a flight
- Go-arounds: why pilots sometimes abort a landing (and why that's good)