For ordinary people, taking a flight overseas is an exciting, enjoyable experience. However, for those suffering from airplane phobia, the mere thought of flying overseas can make one nervous. The main reason why people suffer from airplane phobia and are afraid of flights is turbulence. In general, pilots tend to check the cloudy area beforehand to avoid it, because turbulences are caused by clouds and bad weather. However, not all turbulences occur in cloudy areas. 

Clean air turbulence occurs even in clear weather, making it difficult to avoid it with the naked eye. Clean air turbulence is the occurrence of air swirls due to the influence of jet currents at high altitudes, resulting in irregular airflow. Because it does not contain moisture, it is difficult to avoid it, and for this reason, inevitable turbulence strikes the plane, putting many passengers in fear. The turbulence may be very faint and end up in a slight shaking of the plane, but on severe occasions, it can lead to the crash of the plane due to the inability to control the plane. 

Fortunately, there is little risk of a crash because in most cases, there is enough time to control the plane at a high altitude during flight. However, when an airplane encounters extreme turbulence and falls at the same speed as the gravitational acceleration, passengers in the aircraft become weightless, which increases the risk of injury. In severe cases, the airplane might plummet at an extremely high speed, and the best way to prevent dreadful injury is to wear a seat belt. 

Yet, many passengers feel uncomfortable and bothered about the captain's seat belt sign. Nonetheless, passengers should recognize that it is a necessary safety equipment for turbulences. The plane's seat belt may seem very basic at first, but it is designed to withstand 16G of acceleration, which can efficiently protect passengers from turbulence. In recent years, turbulence has increased due to climate change and because it is often difficult to measure with the naked eye, wearing a seat belt on an airplane must be prioritized before anything when taking a flight. While it may seem very unnecessary, wearing a seat belt on an airplane is the safest, and the only solution to help you survive during turbulence. 

황재훈 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

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