I used to fly four engine jets through areas of turbulence on trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights. It always amazed me when the sky was clear but the air was moderately turbulent. Over the years I started watching for more than five degrees of change in the outside air temperature or more than a 90 shift in the wind direction. Both indicated the presence of an invisible weather pattern that could result in air turbulence.
The screenshot above shows where a Singapore Airlines 777 encountered severe air turbulence. My heart goes out to the injured passengers and to the family of the deceased.
I’ve logged hundreds of hours between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, with most of the flights being along the dashed purple line headed to Diego Garcia.
