Singapore flight turbulence tragedy

[Freespirit44]

Posting for traffic.

Since I have heard the news I am absolutely terrified.

I am a VERY anxious flyer. For this reason I haven't flown in over seven years.

The news of this tragedy has triggered me as i have a short haul flight next week from the UK.

Anyone else feel the same?

Based on what exactly?

I guess the Boeing naysayers were bound to pitch in at some point.

For once I can’t be arssed to provide a long explanation - One look at the 777s safety record, and survival rates in the very very few serious accidents it has had will show a load of bollocks is being talked by some of those above.

We’ve been in an air drop with Singapore coming back from Bali in to Changi. It was very sudden, and the whole plane just went silent. You expect screams but absolute silence. After a few minutes the pilot came on and said we were in the wake of a plane in front and it caused us to hit clear air.

Luckily no one was hurt just a bit dazed. Flown loads since but now I do hypnosis before hand and take meds.

It shows you how steely the pilot’s nerves need to be to register the drop and respond immediately with no pause for shock.

Yes amazing, I always hugely respect crew for seeming so composed. It’s probably all in a days work but..

After the turbulence you have to admire they’ve got themselves together to get everyone back to their seats, prepare for landing and also look after those who were injured, of course the chap who died too. Huge respect.

I never take my lap belt off, apparently those with lap belts still fastened were ok.

What really bloody annoys me is all those twats that take their belts of at landing before the sign comes on, and are pissing about getting their shit out of the overhead lockers!

I have flown around the globe many times, and spent more days than I can count on flights LHR to SIN with Singapore Air. I am also someone who hates flying.

However in this instance the key point is the plane was fine. It landed fine. The pilots were fine. This poor man lost his life tragically, and as a result of the event in question, but not because of reasons that apply to you. Of the others who are badly injured, many will have been not buckled in.

If you are buckled in whenever you are in your seat, the chance of having severe clear air turbulence when you are nipping to the loo is very low.

This has not increased by fear of flying, and I find it rather reassuring.

Another very nervous flyer here. Got slightly better over the years. Due to fly this route with Singapore Airlines in a few months and I know it will be on my mind. Always have my seatbelt on apart from toilet trips. I know it’s very very rare and still the safest form of travel so I try to focus on that. Always need a couple of drinks to relax me.

Poor man and his family. Sounds like they were embarking on a lovely retirement trip. Hope all the injured recover.

How is that even slightly relevant in this situation? It does not matter what make of Jet you are in. If you hit major turbulence it will be thrown about regardless.

It must have been very scary, but planes are designed to cope with severe turbulence and this one did. It landed safely.
Only one person died - of a heart attack. He may well have had a heart attack anyway.

He probably died of fright, poor bloke

Just flew the same route. We’ve had the belts for an hour around that area as it was still a bit bumpy with turbulences

Are you in the industry? What is your view on the stuff about the Boeing whistleblowers? I confess I haven’t paid much attention to the detail but I know it’s been in the news recently. Is it media exaggeration as usual?

I am genuinely interested in the view of anyone who knows about this stuff. I hope you didn’t mean me when you said people are taking bollocks as I am keen to learn the facts.

Keep your seat belt on.

The people flying around the cabin and getting injured or dying did not.

The standard advice for every single passenger is keep your seat belt loosely fastened. Because like all longhaul flights which fly at a higher altitude there's always a 1 in a million risk of a sudden deep drop.

In the 80's there were two major incidents - one death and one broken back.

I wouldn't worry so much with shorthaul - Europe.

They have smaller aircraft and fly at lower levels.

It's the Atlantic and particularly the Pacific ocean you have to mostly worry about.

Mostly the Pacific. No one asks for weather forecasts in the middle of the Pacific, except for scientists, the military and aviators.

The oceans have bigger weather, that rarely troubles land masses.

OP check out turbi.com

ir estimates turbulence on each flight and you can find your future flight on there, see how severe it is likely to be, plan accordingly etc

Try using Bach Rescue Remedy, a herbal spray that takes the edge of anxiety, certainly helps me (frightened - very - of heights). Available from Boots and chemists. Good luck.

Retired now, after over 40 years of being paid to fly. A few thoughts before coffee so excuse the rough notes.

No doubt Boeing have had what I’d call cultural problems in recent years as it went from being engineering led to financier led. They may have been aided and abetted there by the regulator (the FAA) taking their eyes off the ball so in the context of investigations and hearing bare that in mind.

As for the recent events and the Singapore accident with the 777 a couple of points, firstly the 777 well predates the previously mentioned culture change so lumping the aircraft in with current problems is just plain ignorant.

Secondly there were massive inaccuracies in the reporting of the incident at the time and it is continuing.

Also on the subject of reporting hands up those who knew about the Airbus evacuation due a fire on the ground in the US a few days back back of the Airbus that had problems in India within the last week that I think also led to an evac…?

Even with recent events commercial scheduled flying continues to be incredibly safe, on a Boeing, an Airbus or whatever.

To add:

I appreciate I didn’t specifically address the whistleblower question: I suspect the press are being as accurate with that as they are with anything else aviation related so I’m not giving it much attention.

It’s awful 😢 but it hasn’t put me off flying .
Most of our travels are within our own country and we drive or travel by train / bus .
However we have close family who live overseas , a long flight is necessary and I will still visit them when I can afford to .
The last time I visited I did keep my seatbelt on for much of the flight

Your meant to get up on a flight and stretch your legs.

There are exercises often included in the safety guidance or seat back TV which you can do without getting out of your seat, to reduce the risk too.

On long haul most people will have some time unfastened simply as they will need to use the toilet. Ime most people need to go at least once in an 8-9 hour, or linger, time period,

We do always our belts fastened, although often a little looser when sat for longer time periods, just incase. I will definitely make sure I do going forward too.

The large number of feet mentioned in the news yesterday, iirr, was one of a number of stats for the plane. However, the larger number referred to a time period after the detour to Bangkok was made. The turbulence, which iirr, was a lower figure happened before this. I am sure flightrader24 posted about it too.

Experienced flyers always keep their belts fastened as much as possible, because planes can drop hundreds of feet in seconds with little or no warning. Not very often. But it can happen as demonstrated here.

Agreed, the turbulence incident was basically an irregular “up” event, possibly caused by an updraft, of about 400 feet, and all that went with it.

For info Flight Radar have posted this.

https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/1-dead-dozens-injured-in-sq321-turbulence/

Even if the all important techie bits with graphs, and stuff about ADS-B and file types make the eyes glaze over this bit is worth noting:

”Some media reports have erroneously reported the pilots’ initial descent toward Bangkok from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet as the turbulence event. “

Thank you for your informative posts @notimagain. So interesting!

I can concur (only a passenger, but one who flies rather frequently between the UK and SE Asia) that I have very often experienced turbulence over the Bay of Bengal.

When this sad news came out, DDs actually reminded me that I've always told them to go to the loo and then get strapped in, before we enter that area - the loo thing not because of fear, but because it does take a couple of hours to cross the Bay and you don't want to be desperately needing a pee the whole time

Also it's often the time for the pre-arrival meal service on those routes, sometimes I have wondered whether airlines might start modifying their service times to take into account known turbulent sectors of the journey.

Re: going to the loo, there is no way I could hold my pee for 13 hours. But! The last two times I travelled on that route by night flight, there happened to be a youngish woman (not the same one!!) in the window seat - each of them slept the whole way from take-off to almost landing time, didn't even wake for meals, and didn't go to the loo at all until the last pre-arrival warning announcements. I was so impressed with their bladder control!

Wear your seatbelt and you'll be fine. Aircraft are built to withstand extreme turbulence.

I can fly very small planes but I still don't enjoy turbulence 😆