It may be awhile since many of us have been on a plane, but, assuming we’ve flown in the past, chances are we will recall moments when our craft was buffeted by external forces. We may also remember that, depending on the intensity, the experience had left us fearful and white-knuckled.

After decades of flying professionally, in this video pilot Stuart Walker explains that turbulence isn’t entirely predictable; that said though, there are four types of turbulence that he and his counterparts watch for:

  1. Clear air turbulence
  2. Thermal turbulence
  3. Mechanical turbulence
  4. Wake turbulence

Walker breaks down the characteristics of each type of turbulence in more detail, also revealing what he and fellow pilots do to avoid a stomach-churning bumpy ride.

View the original video here.

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