After the deadly turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday, a pilot explains the background and reveals what vacationers can do to protect themselves.
The death on a Singapore Airlines flight shocked many passengers and holidaymakers. In an interview with Business Insider, former Easyjet pilot Emma Henderson urged holidaymakers to always fasten their seatbelts when they are on a plane. Severe turbulence could occur at any time.
Basically, an airplane is a hard surface, while people are “soft,” says Henderson. A collision with the cabin ceiling or flying objects could result in serious injuries. But why are people thrown out of their seats?
Henderson explains the phenomenon to “Business Insider” like this: “A sudden downward movement of the aircraft means that you stay where you are until the aircraft catches up with you again.” Everything flies due to inertia, whatever is not connected to the suddenly moving aircraft, through the cabin. The seat belt prevents this and the person moves down with the aircraft.
Henderson also pointed out that not all turbulence is predictable, even though airplanes are equipped with weather radar. She therefore recommends always wearing a seatbelt during a flight because “anything can happen at any time.” And it’s not just weather phenomena that can trigger a sudden drop.
Airplanes create so-called wake turbulences due to the lift of their wings. These air turbulences are so strong that they can cover roofs and have extremely fatal effects on other planes. In 2027, a private jet came into contact with the wake turbulence of the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. The much smaller jet plunged 3,000 meters in just a few seconds.
Former pilot Emma Henderson stressed that the incident at Singapore Airlines was an “extreme case”. “It’s very unusual for something like this to happen in this way,” Henderson told Business Insider. Nevertheless, similar accidents continue to happen, such as in March 2024, when strong turbulence on board a United Airlines Boeing 787-10 injured 22 passengers.
But that’s no reason to panic, says YouTuber and pilot Pascal Schmidt. On his YouTube channel AeroNewsGermany, he informs his followers about various aviation topics. In the video about the incident at Singapore Airlines, he reassures: “Not flying because of this or not going to the toilet quickly is not a solution.” Nevertheless, passengers should use their seatbelts while they are sitting. Especially if the pilots request this with the seatbelt signs.
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