North America’s most turbulent airports: Las Vegas, Denver, and… Portland?

[Rosstafari]

See post: The Two Most Turbulent Airports in the U.S.

Or TLDR with the attached image.

The post is based on EDR and was written by a professor of atmospheric sciences, so there’s credibility behind it. With that said, having lived in two, ATCed in two, and based in all three, putting the PNW (Vancouver, BC is #4, Seattle #10) up this high in terms of turbulence isn’t adding up for me.

Anybody else?

 

[Roger Roger]

I used to think i was a hardened badass at handling turbulence flying around jnu until i went in to PANC one dark and stormy night during a frontal passage.

That to say if the data says PDX is gnarly it’s probably true

 

[///AMG]

PDX can be gnarly and always has been because of the gorge and easterly flow. Or because we have really strong fronts that move through somewhere between there and Vancouver island, every week or so in the winter. On rare occasion the low passes south of PDX, but generally not. We have the same mechanical interaction with this due to the mountains to the east, both in PDX and SEA. I'd say SEA is really rough more often than not in the winter. There aren't a lot of days from Oct-May that don't involve a lot of gusty winds on final. I don't have enough experience in PDX to say the same for there, but it wouldn't surprise me. But this is a function of statistically high amounts of winter winds interacting with mountains. Neither are early sit airports. LAS and RNO make anywhere in the PNW seem like a placid lake.

 

[scooter2525]

Keep PDX weird.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

PDX can be gnarly and always has been because of the gorge and easterly flow. Or because we have really strong fronts that move through somewhere between there and Vancouver island, every week or so in the winter. On rare occasion the low passes south of PDX, but generally not. We have the same mechanical interaction with this due to the mountains to the east, both in PDX and SEA. I'd say SEA is really rough more often than not in the winter. There aren't a lot of days from Oct-May that don't involve a lot of gusty winds on final. I don't have enough experience in PDX to say the same for there, but it wouldn't surprise me. But this is a function of statistically high amounts of winter winds interacting with mountains. Neither are early sit airports. LAS and RNO make anywhere in the PNW seem like a placid lake.

Anecdotally agreed, “We’re going to Vegas in the summertime. Observe the fasten seatbelt sign.”

 

[SteveC]

Keep PDX weird.

My neighborhood motto too.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I used to think i was a hardened badass at handling turbulence flying around jnu until i went in to PANC one dark and stormy night during a frontal passage.

That to say if the data says PDX is gnarly it’s probably true

Yeah. I’m incredibly surprised that ANC isn’t on there.

 

[SurferLucas]

PDX can be an absolute bish of an airport…all my 1000+ times going in and out of there, it’s one I’m glad I rarely see now (vs seeing 5-6 times a trip).

Went in there one night, winds were 180 @27/G37…at 3,000ft, winds were 180@72…fun times were had by all.

 

[Inverted]

Descending into PSP has given me real trouble over the years. Ironically, some of the worst turbulence and worse icing I have had, has been going into PSP.

 

[SurferLucas]

It really irritates me that here at SJI, we do this whole descent briefing/sit early etc…

I’ve had severe going into SLC, and in the debriefing/group discussion after…suggested we have a list “turbulence airports” that shows a flag on the FA’s iPhone/device. Then they know ahead of time they’ll be sitting early, they can plan service accordingly, etc.

Sadly, this was another “if that was the best way to do it, we’d already be doing it”

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

It really irritates me that here at SJI, we do this whole descent briefing/sit early etc…

I’ve had severe going into SLC, and in the debriefing/group discussion after…suggested we have a list “turbulence airports” that shows a flag on the FA’s iPhone/device. Then they know ahead of time they’ll be sitting early, they can plan service accordingly, etc.

Sadly, this was another “if that was the best way to do it, we’d already be doing it”

?


You don’t have an Early Sit Station list?

 

[scooter2525]

Descending into PSP has given me real trouble over the years. Ironically, some of the worst turbulence and worse icing I have had, has been going into PSP.

If you say Palm Springs real fast three times it sounds like PSPSPSPSP and a cat will appear.

The more you know.

 

[JordanD]

PDX can be an absolute bish of an airport…all my 1000+ times going in and out of there, it’s one I’m glad I rarely see now (vs seeing 5-6 times a trip).

Went in there one night, winds were 180 @27/G37…at 3,000ft, winds were 180@72…fun times were had by all.

I know you probably have more time operating into PDX than I probably do total time, but that seems so weird to me. I never really found the weather there to be all that crappy, if anything the bigger problem was the "VFR TAF but approach is suddenly asking us our RVR requirement" surprises from fog suddenly forming off the river.

Vegas absolutely sucks. It makes a 321 feel like I'm back in my Cessna 150 days flying around in a kite, even worse in the NEO with the sluggish engines and doubly worse with the steep glideslope on 1L. Denver just sucks in general.

 

[ASpilot2be]

I know you probably have more time operating into PDX than I probably do total time, but that seems so weird to me. I never really found the weather there to be all that crappy, if anything the bigger problem was the "VFR TAF but approach is suddenly asking us our RVR requirement" surprises from fog suddenly forming off the river.

Vegas absolutely sucks. It makes a 321 feel like I'm back in my Cessna 150 days flying around in a kite, even worse in the NEO with the sluggish engines and doubly worse with the steep glideslope on 1L. Denver just sucks in general.

Those winter storms with the wind coming out of the Gorge makes things very sporty. Also landing 28L has some of the worst windshear when the wind comes over the ANG buildings.

 

[JordanD]

Those winter storms with the wind coming out of the Gorge makes things very sporty. Also landing 28L has some of the worst windshear when the wind comes over the ANG buildings.

Admittedly it's been a good long while since I've done the Hood arrival, even when I was based there it was rare we were coming back from anywhere that wasn't California or Seattle.
Speaking of Vegas and 1L, I hate the damn thermals or whatever you ALWAYS get coming in over that outdoor shopping mall just before the runway.

 

[ASpilot2be]

Admittedly it's been a good long while since I've done the Hood arrival, even when I was based there it was rare we were coming back from anywhere that wasn't California or Seattle.
Speaking of Vegas and 1L, I hate the damn thermals or whatever you ALWAYS get coming in over that outdoor shopping mall just before the runway.

I hate everything Vegas.

 

[scooter2525]

I hate everything Vegas.

People watching is great!

 

[ASpilot2be]

People watching is great!

Eh. I got enough of that after flying out of there for three years.

 

[JordanD]

People watching is great!

Eventually it stops being entertaining and you're just sad how trashy things are.

 

[inigo88]

If you say Palm Springs real fast three times it sounds like PSPSPSPSP and a cat will appear.

The more you know.

I read this post before the username and assumed @ASpilot2be wrote it.