flight turbulence forecast

XQ659 turbulence forecast

SunExpress · Berlin (BER) to Antalya (AYT)

Next departure at its usual time · Sat 24 Oct, 09:40 Berlin time

This date's schedule isn't confirmed yet. This is the air XQ659 flies through if it leaves at its usual time.

Bumpiest stretchLight

Smooth most of the way, with occasional light bumps after takeoff. Barely moves your drink.

BER09:40Berlin
3h 15m
AYT13:55Antalya
Model run 22 Oct, 12:00 UTC · checked just now
BERAYT
SmoothLightModerateSevere The planned route of XQ659, coloured stretch by stretch by its forecast.
Bumpiest stretch
Light
Flight time
3h 15m
Distance
2,186 km
Cruise altitude
35,000 ft
Weather models
2 blended
Model agreement
High
Aircraft
Boeing 737 MAX 8

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.

SmoothLightModerateSevere 1h2h Take off Landing

Where, and why

The flight split into stretches: how bumpy each is forecast to be, and what causes it.

BER · Take off0m – 13mSmooth

Nothing significant forecast here.

The first minutes are flown through the lowest, liveliest air. Sun-warmed ground sends up thermals and wind bends around hills, so a bump or two while climbing is normal. It fades as the aircraft climbs into the smoother air above.

Cruise13m – 30mLight

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's the most common kind of turbulence, and it's on the crew's charts before departure. When they meet it, they slow to a set turbulence speed and 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 band of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast shows where those edges are.

Cruise30m – 3h 15mSmooth

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 band of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast shows where those edges are.

in the app

This forecast changes. FlyBud tells you when.

A new weather model run lands every few hours. Add XQ659 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 XQ659 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.

Boeing 737 MAX 8

Bigger and heavier aircraft are moved less by the same patch of air, and every airliner is designed for much stronger turbulence than it will meet.

The airline

SunExpress

SunExpress operates XQ659.

on your lock screen

XQ659 without unlocking your phone

Gate, delay, time to landing and the next bumpy stretch, on the lock screen from boarding to the baggage belt.

The route

Berlin (BER) → Antalya (AYT)

Distance
2,186 km
Flight time
3h 15m
Usual departure
09:40 local
Usual arrival
13:55 local

Forecast any other route →

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
Clear bumps. Drinks may slosh and the belt sign comes on. Uncomfortable, but the pilots stay in full control.
Severe
Strong jolts, and loose items can move. This is rare, and it's why 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 2 independent global weather models, and corrected with turbulence reports radioed in by pilots in the last few hours. Each new model run replaces the forecast; nothing here is a guess from the airline's history.

The independent weather models behind this forecast agree on this ride.

Planned route · timing and conditions may change.

the live map

Watch the air along the route move

The app draws the route of XQ659 over the moving forecast: bumpy air, storms and the winds at cruise height. Scrub through the flight hour by hour.

Why turbulence isn't dangerous

Aircraft are designed for much worse.

Airliners are tested to loads well beyond anything turbulence produces. The wings are meant to flex, so seeing them move is normal.

Crews know where it is.

Your crew has forecasts like this one, live reports from other pilots and their own weather radar, and they change altitude to stay out of bumpy air.

Keep your belt on.

Almost all turbulence injuries happen to people who are standing or not buckled in. Seated with your belt on, turbulence is uncomfortable but not dangerous.

Is turbulence dangerous? The long answer →

Questions about XQ659

Will XQ659 be bumpy?

For the flight on Sat 24 Oct: Smooth most of the way, with occasional light bumps after takeoff. Barely moves your drink. The forecast is replaced with every new weather model run, so check back closer to departure.

How long is XQ659?

About 3h 15m gate to gate from Berlin to Antalya, a distance of about 2,186 km.

What time does XQ659 leave?

XQ659 usually departs Berlin at 09:40 local time and arrives in Antalya at 13:55 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.

Is turbulence dangerous on XQ659?

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.

flybud

Fly XQ659 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.

XQ659Light