Bumpy ride
Question: Why do airliners bump and bounce even when flying through clear
sky? Often it’s like driving along a bumpy road, but sometimes it is much more
violent. What causes this to happen? It sometimes seems associated with passing
through sections of cloud but at other times it occurs in clear sky and it seems
to happen more at high altitudes.
Answer: There are several reasons why you might get a bumpy ride while flying
in apparently clear air. These include wake turbulence—the lift that other
aircraft generate— as well as clear air turbulence (CAT) and other…
