turbulences and Fokker 50

[Shanti]

Is it true that as a passenger you have more
turbulences during a Fokker 50 flight especially
during storms/very windy days? I read that
that turbulences can be quite hard on a fokker
50 especially passing cloudy/windy areas.
Thanks for the answer.

[SN_Bigbirdy]

Hello Shanti,

the last time I went to Nottingham I went with VLM to Manchester and the weather was quiet bad, like the 12th of September lately here in BRU. During our landing at MAN we did experience some turbulence (the businessman next to me turned pale a few times .
When I compare the turbulence we've had in the F50 and the B734 when came back from BCN, the bumps in the F50 were indeed heavier and we were more swinging but I think it is just because a F50 is much more lighter (41.000 lbs) then a B734 (150.000 lbs) and therefor more subject to (cross)winds. Just my 2 cent

Anyhow, a good flight needs some (natural) entertainment

SimoN

[regi]

My experiences with ATR's are very positive despite being turbo props.

Some flights a long time ago with KLM's City Hopper turbo prop Fokkers were quite bumpy. And I confess to become airsick very quickly...
But I did feel very unconfortable also during the very long sliding down from FRA to BRU on a 737 with a bump every 10 seconds. I got sick, so did a female FA !

Small planes, big planes, I don't know.
I felt several times uneasy during turbulence on B747 as well on A330.

I almost threw up during a very long lasting approach on Tempelhof on a SNBA RJ.

On the other hand, I had several flights on Embraer 145 with BMI during turbulence and the feeling was as if the powerful small plane screwed itself into the air. Not too much disturbance at all.

So strangely enough, I have to say that if I would have to choose my favourite plane to sit in during turbulence, I would say : a rear driven Embraer !

[jan_olieslagers]

Not a direct comparison, still here goes for what it's worth:
The aerodrome where I take lessons (including the bar!) is shared between ULM pilots like myself, and PPL'ers flying Cessna's and that kind of plane. Everybody assures me that ULM's are more sensitive to air instability, be it turbulence or gusts or windshear, due to their lighter weight. And that makes sense to me: the heavier the plane, the more it will "dampen" the movements imposed on it by the surrounding air mass. Of course the surface exposed to this air mass is greater also, but surface is a second degree function of size, whereas weight should more or less go with the volume, thus being a third degree function. So yes, it sounds reasonable to me that the smaller the plane, the more it is affected by turbulence and other instabilities.
Come and try a circuit at EBHN, where crosswinds are a standard attraction, if you wish to try it out!

[jan_olieslagers]

Adding to that, Shanti, a profound study of aerodynamics and the theory of lfight will confirm that turbulence is especially experienced during storms, and on windy days (or nights!) and/or when passing windy areas. I don't think cloud has anything to do with it directly; but certain types of clouds have a bad reputation of turbulence nearby and even inside. Never fly into or near a cumulo-nimbus!

[Shanti]

Thanks a lot for the information
I saw some VLM fokker 50 who took off in very
windy conditions last year ( december 2007),at
what 'beaufort' do they stop to fly ? At one day,
the weather was REALLY TERRIBLE but they
still left on TIME. Any VLM pilots who read this
article? Thanks for your comments. I am a real
VLM Fokker 50 fan!