Rock and roll can be an understatement. Red-eye LA to NY via Chicago and we went from cruising altitude of about 38K to 19K in what I seem to recall a VERY short amount of time. It was white knuckle all the way down. Flight attendant with the cart was holding on but he was against the ceiling. Overhead compartments flew open and contents “shifted” all over the cabin.
Minor injuries throughout and we were asked to stay in our seats when we landed so medical personnel could board the plane. I recall the pilot coming on the PA right after we leveled out saying he’d never experienced turbulence that bad before (no,I’m not kidding) and he said it was rolling-wave turbulence.
Shook me to my core. I now have to fly medicated (Lorazepam). I double the dose, strap myself in and boom-boom out go the lights. I don’t wanna know nothing about the flight.
The only difference is that I was six years old, on my first airplane flight. My family did not travel much so it never came up until I was an adult.
I was terrified of flying...TERRIFIED...even when it was required of me for work, and I had no idea "why." I had apparently "blocked" that entire experience. I drove nearly everywhere when it was possible.
Finally, after being "forced" to fly to Boston, I had a terrible return flight (storms all the way in the Early Spring). After I got off of that flight, I "remembered" the one when I was six years old.
I promptly called my Mother and asked her if my suddenly recalled memory was accurate. She said..."well yes, I thought you KNEW that was why you were afraid to fly!"
I think as an adult it is a terrible experience, but you can at least understand what happened. To my six year old self, I was SO excited...was sitting by the window, had visited the cabin and gotten my little red plastic "wings," and was just having lunch when all hell broke loose. Apparently, I had zero way to process that in my little brain.
Wow, that is QUITE the experience! Pass the Lorazepam, please!