EK143 turbulence forecast
Emirates · Dubai (DXB) to Madrid (MAD)
Next departure at its usual time · Wed 7 Oct, 14:30 Dubai time
This date's schedule isn't confirmed yet. This is the air EK143 flies through if it leaves at its usual time.
Mostly smooth. About 15 minutes of light bumps on descent. Barely moves your drink.
- Bumpiest stretch
- Light
- Flight time
- 7h 50m
- Distance
- 5,650 km
- Cruise altitude
- 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- Airbus A350-900
Bumpiness along the flight
Takeoff on the left, landing on the right. The higher the line, the bumpier the air the forecast expects at that moment.
Where, and why
The flight split into stretches: how bumpy each is forecast to be, and what causes it.
Cruise0m – 6h 49mSmooth
Nothing significant forecast here.
At cruise the air is thin and cold, and most of it is calm. The bumps up here come from the jet stream, a river of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast maps exactly where those edges sit.
Cruise6h 49m – 7h 17mLight
Jet-stream wind shear
Where fast air slides over slower air, usually at the edge of the jet stream, the boundary ripples like a flag. It is the most common kind of turbulence and it never comes as a surprise: it is on the crew's charts, and they slow to a set turbulence speed and let the aircraft ride it out.
At cruise the air is thin and cold, and most of it is calm. The bumps up here come from the jet stream, a river of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast maps exactly where those edges sit.
Descent into Madrid7h 17m – 7h 50mSmooth
Nothing significant forecast here.
Coming down means flying back through the low, lively air near the ground: afternoon thermals, gusts around the airport. It is the busiest part of the flight for the crew, and the part they train for most.
This forecast changes. FlyBud tells you when.
A new weather model run lands every few hours. Add EK143 in FlyBud and you get the full turbulence map along your route, a push when the forecast for your flight changes, live tracking and your flight on the lock screen.
The aircraft
What EK143 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.
Airbus A350-900
Bigger and heavier aircraft are moved less by the same patch of air, but every airliner is built for far more than turbulence produces.
The airline
The route
Dubai (DXB) → Madrid (MAD)
- Distance
- 5,650 km
- Flight time
- 7h 50m
- Usual departure
- 14:30 local
- Usual arrival
- 20:20 local
What each level feels like
- Smooth
- Calm air. Nothing to notice beyond the hum of the engines.
- Light
- Gentle ripples and the odd dip. Drinks stay put, and walking to the toilet is fine.
- Moderate
- Distinct bumps. A drink might slosh and the belt sign comes on. Uncomfortable, and the aircraft is in full control throughout.
- Severe
- Strong jolts, and loose items can move. Rare, and the reason the belt sign exists: crews slow down and change altitude to get out of it.
How this forecast is made
The planned route is sampled from gate to gate at the altitude the aircraft flies, through a global weather model, and corrected with turbulence reports radioed in by pilots in the last few hours. Each new model run replaces the forecast.
Planned route · timing and conditions may change.
Why the bumps are only bumps
Built for it.
Airliners are tested to loads far beyond anything turbulence produces; the wing flexing you can see is by design.
Seen in advance.
Your crew flies with forecasts like this one, live reports from other pilots and their own weather radar, and they change altitude to stay out of the bumpy air.
The belt is the whole story.
Turbulence injuries almost always involve someone standing or unbuckled. Seated with the belt on, it is a bumpy road and nothing more.
Questions about EK143
Will EK143 be bumpy?
For the flight on Wed 7 Oct: Mostly smooth. About 15 minutes of light bumps on descent. Barely moves your drink. The forecast is replaced with every new weather model run, so check back closer to departure.
How long is EK143?
About 7h 50m gate to gate from Dubai to Madrid, a distance of about 5,650 km.
What time does EK143 leave?
EK143 usually departs Dubai at 14:30 local time and arrives in Madrid at 20:20 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.
Is turbulence dangerous on EK143?
Turbulence is uncomfortable, not dangerous to the aircraft. Airliners are certified for loads far beyond anything turbulence produces, and crews plan around the bumpy patches with the same kind of forecast as this one. Injuries are almost always to people who were standing or unbuckled, so keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you're seated.
How accurate is this turbulence forecast?
It is a forecast, so it is best within a day or so of departure and improves with every model run. The bumpy patches it finds are usually in the right place, but their timing can shift by a few minutes and the crew may change altitude to avoid them, so the ride you get is often smoother than the forecast.
Fly EK143 knowing what's ahead
The turbulence forecast for your exact flight, live tracking, delay alerts and arrival weather. Built for people who'd rather know.