Know I don't usually write about fatalities....

Exception in this case is the apparent cause of a passenger’s death wasn’t directly because of injuries received. On 21 May, SQ321 LHR-SIN B777ER encountered severe turbulence around 10 hours into its flight and midway through meal service while flying over Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Basin. Of the 211 passengers and 18 crew on board, 70 were injured, 20 seriously.

Many passengers reported chaos as the aircraft descended rapidly just after the seatbelt sign had been activated. Shoes, iPads, iPhones, cushions, blankets, cutlery, plates and cups flying through the cabin then crashing into the ceiling. Videos and images from inside the aircraft showed the extent of the damage, with overhead compartments smashed open and emergency oxygen air masks hanging down. A photo of one galley showed a section of the ceiling open with parts of the plane’s interior hanging down. Trays, containers, plastic bottles and hot beverage pots can be seen strewn across the floor.

Apparently, the area is renowned for severe thunderstorms at this time of year, The flight likely encountered rapidly developing ones during the time that extreme turbulence was reported. These tropical thunderstorms happen with moisture increasing in the region as the southwest monsoon season is beginning in South Asia. They can form quickly in the early afternoon as the land heats up, especially near the coastline. Thunderstorms like Tuesday’s may not appear on radar in their earliest stages, even though the quick rising motion within them can still produce turbulence. The storm cells likely grew from 20,000-30,000 feet to well over 50,000 feet in less than an hour.

Now to dispel the sensationalism created by the main media channels and “armchair” experts on social media. Initially, the aircraft altitude deviated by -100/+300 feet. This caused by turbulence. The 6000 feet drop was initiated 14 minutes later by the flight crew. The time taken for this controlled descent, approximately 3 minutes, is normal. There are also suggestions that climate change is responsible for increasing turbulence activity around the world.

However, there’s a couple of things to remember. Turbulence is caused by weather conditions, such as increased moisture in the atmosphere and shows on flightdeck radar. The one to worry about is clear air turbulence which cannot be picked up and can result in the violent shaking of an aircraft, causing injuries to passengers and crew.

Thankfully, we have social media/websites who report accurately when mainstream news reporting goes into “meltdown”. Special mention goes to FR24, Aviation Herald and various Twitter/X contributors including Josh (@ThatSillyGinge) who is a BA A320 F/O.

The main message emanating from this event is listen to and obey the crew, always wear your seatbelt and think about those toilet visits….

And finally…

Emirates – there’s a rumour that they’ll go 4xdaily at MAN. There’s no detail yet about aircraft type, start date, etc. Did anyone spot Sir Tim Clark in the FA Cup Final crowd yesterday…..

Jet2 – there’s still a lot of love for the 757. Friday’s YouTube MAN stream by Airliners Live showed how many people follow the popular jet. With 4 landing within 10 minutes, it was a moment to savour. One person on the live chat described the event as an “orgy of 757s”!

DC3s – with the anniversary of the D-Day landings approaching, several privately owned examples made the long journey to the UK. With regular refuelling and rest stops en-route, many spotting opportunities were provided. Sadly, most of the UK was shrouded in cloud, so it was a case of “heard not seen”. However, STN, Shuttleworth Trust and IWM Duxford have enjoyed visits.

Information courtesy of FlightAware (CNN News report), FR24, Aviation Herald, Twitter/X

Images courtesy of Aviation Herald (SQ321 passenger), Flyer

©TPSC and Poshgirl