Unable to Maintain Altitude Due to Turbulence
Hi everyone!
I recently saw a video that showed ATC audio:
TLDR: A pilot reported they were unable to maintain altitude due to violent turbulence while flying.
“The aircraft began climbing unexpectedly before immediately descending to avoid another jet nearby as controllers scrambled to separate traffic in the area. The pilot later confirmed they were dealing with severe turbulence and still struggling to hold altitude, creating a tense moment in the cockpit as other aircraft listened in over the frequency.”
I frequently visit this sub (thank you - pilots!) and often times see comments about how turbulence is completely safe, etc. Watching the video above, I’m now sort of at a loss. I feel like being unable to maintain altitude would be extremely unsafe?
I am just looking for some clarification from people that know more than me - how does this happen? What does this mean? Is this just another fear-mongering short on YouTube that I should ignore? When we’re told turbulence is safe, do we really mean turbulence is safe most of the time?