What is Turbulence and Why is Everybody Scared to Death About it?

Send us Fan MailOn July 30, 2025, Delta Airlines Flight 56, an Airbus A330-900, carrying 275 passengers and 13 crew, was cruising at about 37,000 feet/11,300 meters over the high plains region of south central Wyoming. The evening flight had been underway for about 40 minutes; there were perhaps 9-or-so hours remaining before reaching the destination of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. Meal service had begun and passengers were settled in for the long, overnight flight. Looking out to the late afternoon horizon, those with window seats could see lightning from thunderstorms. The plane suddenly experienced a series of sudden, unexpected and severe vertical jolts up and down. As the plane was slammed downward, unbelted passengers were thrown into the ceiling, along with the flight attendants, who were in the midst of meal service. The turbulence was so severe that an emergency landing was necessary and 25 passengers were hospitalized. This episode is all about turbulence. How it forms, why it forms and where it forms. How aircrews train for turbulence and how airplanes are built to withstand it. Even tips for passengers on how to mitigate turbulence before ever stepping onto the airplane. If you’re a white-knuckle flyer, have aerophobia or aviophobia – the fear of flying – then this episode of Radar Contact Lost is for you.