On a flight from Chicago to Phoenix on Southwest Airlines, I wondering why the captain announced that "we were at our final cruising altitude of 28,000 feet. I guess there could have been many reasons for this, but opening up a magazine put a thought in my head about one possible reason - Turbulence.
I read a good article in Flying Magazine that said that
the anxiety behind turbulence could be synonymous with a doctor administering medication.
The article goes on to illustrate the thought process:
He could have a needle behind his back, or it could be just a pill.
If it were a needle, it may pinch, or it may hurt really bad.
Who wouldn't be anxious not knowing what "might" happen.
Even as a pilot, I find myself consciously thinking about possible turbulence ahead and what this might mean for my passengers (even students). There is really no way to know. Ive been up on days with students that looked absolutely gorgeous and wound up putting a cap on the flight training for the day. Other times, the beautiful, bright day translated to an equally beautiful flight. Conversely, Ive experienced the same series on bad days.
I always try to tell my students to be mindful of passenger comfort. This is usually something pointed out when a student starts to get comfortable with angle of bank, but "taking a slow down" when the turbulence gets more than just a light chop is a sign of a real captain.
I read a good article in Flying Magazine that said that
the anxiety behind turbulence could be synonymous with a doctor administering medication.The article goes on to illustrate the thought process:
He could have a needle behind his back, or it could be just a pill.
If it were a needle, it may pinch, or it may hurt really bad.
Who wouldn't be anxious not knowing what "might" happen.
Even as a pilot, I find myself consciously thinking about possible turbulence ahead and what this might mean for my passengers (even students). There is really no way to know. Ive been up on days with students that looked absolutely gorgeous and wound up putting a cap on the flight training for the day. Other times, the beautiful, bright day translated to an equally beautiful flight. Conversely, Ive experienced the same series on bad days.
I always try to tell my students to be mindful of passenger comfort. This is usually something pointed out when a student starts to get comfortable with angle of bank, but "taking a slow down" when the turbulence gets more than just a light chop is a sign of a real captain.
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