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Question
why do aircraft experience turbulence of varying degrees flying thru' clouds?
Hello Woody,
Turbulence has several causes including temperature differences - heating/cooling of the earth's surface, mechanical turbulence - caused by wind coming around buildings/mountains, and wind speed differences - different speeds of wind at different altitudes aloft. Turbulence varies with each type: mountains can cause a lot of turbulence if wind moving over the mountain is strong and meets certain conditions. A very extreme version is called a mountain wave which can form and cause turbulence for hundreds of miles away from the mountain range causing the turbulence. With the turbulence caused by temperature differences, often in the summer more turbulence is in areas over fields that heat up more quickly and then form small puffy clouds over them. Earth that is darker heats up more quickly, and then there are pockets of air that do not heat as quickly because of water or trees below, and this can cause turbulence. Also, when air is moving in one direction and speed at one altitude, say at 25,000', and a different direction and/or speed at 27,000', the area where the speed of the wind changes can cause turbulence. Think of it like the rocks in a river where water is flowing around them - there are more rapids formed when the water speed/direction changes to go around the rocks. Moderate turbulence is predicted when the wind speed varies by 6 knots per 1000' or 40 knots per 150 nm of distance over which the wind changes. So, the varying degrees of turbulence is just because of differences in what causes the turbulence and in how much the wind speed/direction is changing in that particular air mass.
Best regards,
Laura
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Answers by Expert:
Laura Laster
Expertise
I can help with questions about aviation disasters, aircraft operations especially general aviation and King Air information, aviation safety, and education questions on how to get into an aviation career. I can also answer general aviation questions as I am a commercial multi-engine pilot. I cannot answer questions about flight training or MBA schools in countries other than the USA or provide advice for non-US citizens interested in flight training. I cannot answer questions advising you what school to choose. I have no experience with aeronautical engineering so I cannot answer questions relating to engineering or schooling for aeronautical engineers. PLEASE don't ask me questions about any kind of engineering because it is outside my area of expertise, and I will NOT answer your question. I also cannot help you to choose a master's program for study as I do not have a master's degree in aviation. I cannot help with MBA advice.
Experience
I have been studying aviation disasters through doing my own research and a lot of reading since I was 13 or 14 years old. I am very interested in aviation safety and also am a commercial, multi-engine pilot. I am a dispatch manager at a private university working in their flight training department. I also have worked as an operations mamager at a small charter airline and was involved in getting the airline certificated under Part 121 rules. I was formerly a flight operations division manager for a company operating a large fleet of King Air aircraft (60) and so I have some business aviation experience as well as having flight instructed for one year after college. My operations manager job frequently involved coordinating international trips for aerial survey clients and hiring qualified pilots to fly aerial survey missions.
Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Science with Flight Management Concentration: LeTourneau University (2004) :: Dispatch Certificate: Sheffield School of Aeronautics (2010) ::
Commercial Pilot: Single and Multi Engine Land, Instrument Rating ::
Flight Instructor: Single, Multi and Instrument ::
Ground Instructor: Basic and Advanced
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