Fasten your seat belt – turbulence is on the rise

9:20 AM MON Sept. 12

I disagree - but thank you for your opinion.

I think you are in error, in part - while I personally have never been in the "pointy end" of a large turbine-powered Part 121, I do know a few guys who work there. If what they tell me is correct - they fully understand the dynamics of CAT, so they advocate and say they are ALWAYS belted in, less "nature calls" or going to the bunks.

Yes, given the potential violence inherent in CAT ( that's CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE for the "fliers") I agree - anything can become a dangerous missle...even a "flier"...! All the more reason why I do not undertand how come they don't make em all stay strapped in unless "nature calls".

You dont like the term "flier"...? I did not decide that people who ride in back should be called "fliers".

The commercial airlines started that, and continue it, and for good reason. They want their passengers to feel some connection with the service they sell.

Airline passengers, most of them, find the minimal contact they have with aviation an overpowering experience. Understandable - cant blame them for that - what we do in driving airplanes around, is so beyond their level of understanding, so confusing to them...of course they like feeling at least some degree of connection ... participation.

I would much prefer to call them "passengers".

But seriously..have you EVER seen ANYONE in journalism call people who ride in back "passengers". Have you ever seen a "flier" refer to him or herself as a passenger ? I suspect not. But don't blame me !

It is THEIR choice to be referred to as fliers, and of course it is their right to come into an aviation-oriented site, and see what they can learn. I think we should encourage that - and try and help them with REAL WORLD info. about what we do.

I do understand some of them have various degrees of jealously and resentment for those of us who do know what is going on in aviation.

We humans are tribal, social animals, So it is logical that the the "fliers" band together, desire to be "accepted".

But when they come up with stuff to impress each other that in the real world is utter nonsense - of course they will resent those of us who try and straighten them out with real-world info. Don't let it bother you.