For folks with a fear of flying, turbulence can be one of the worst things to experience when 30,000 feet in the air. It’s harder when the only thing you can do is grab onto your armrests, keep your seat belt buckled, and say a prayer or two. While there haven’t been recorded plane crashes due to turbulence in decades, it hasn’t stopped people from fearing for their lives, or, at the very least, being a bit anxious. One pilot shared a trick you can try if you are worried about turbulence when flying.
What’s The Turbulence Trick?
In a viral TikTok, Florida-based pilot Joey Miuccio (@joeymiuccio) demonstrates how you can avoid feeling the brunt of turbulence when on a plane. The trick, he says, has to do with where you sit.
When one of Miuccio’s viewers asked him where the best place to sit on the plane to avoid turbulence was, he responded, “Definitely not in the back.”
“The back is the worst spot,” Miuccio says. “You see the pen trick?”
The TikToker picks up a pen and holds it horizontally by its center. He then shakes it back and forth, showing how the pen “shakes” at the back, while the center of gravity—where he is holding it—remains somewhat steadier.
“It’s not as bad in the front, and around the wing is probably a good bet around where the center of gravity is,” he says. “Maybe it’s a little bit forward of that.”
He continues to demonstrate, shaking the pen and showing how the “back of the plane” gets bounced around.
“The whole plane is [experiencing turbulence]. But it’s worse further from the center of gravity,” he adds.
So Where Should You Sit?
Miuccio reveals that closer to the wings or maybe a little bit in front is the best spot to sit. The pilot, however, clarifies that turbulence itself is not dangerous. With that in mind, he suggests flyers to “give up control” and watch a movie or take a nap instead of worrying. As many with aerophobia will tell you, it’s easier said than done. There is one analogy, however, that has helped these folks remain a bit calmer when they experience rough winds.
@joeymiuccio Best place to sit on an airplane? #pilot #airlinepilot #pilotlife #travel #flying
What Is The Jell-O Theory?
In 2022, influencer and TikToker Anna Paul shared a Jell-O analogy someone had taught her when it came to turbulence. The idea is that folks should think of the plane as being suspended in a container of Jell-O.
“There’s pressure on all sides, so even if the jello is shaken—and the object shaken along with it—the pressure suspends the object,” Upworthy reported. “In other words, a plane is not going to suddenly drop down out of the sky due to turbulence, in the same way that an object won’t drop out of the middle of a bowl of jello.”
What Do Viewers Think Of The Seat Trick?
Several folks thanked Miuccio for sharing this insight. They said they’d keep it in mind when booking their flights from now on.
“You are absolutely amazing for sharing this and saving nervous people from anxiety. Thank you,” one wrote. Another shared, “Just realized the reason I have been experiencing less turbulence in recent years is because when I was younger we always sat in the last row.”
BroBible reached out to Miuccio via TikTok direct message.