Why do passengers feel like the plane is crashing during takeoff?

(Dan Tri) - If you have ever flown on an airplane, you must have had the feeling of being weightless or falling freely during takeoff. Why do you experience such feelings?

During takeoff, there is a moment that makes many people feel like their body is floating weightlessly or the plane is in free fall.

This feeling becomes even stronger for first-time flyers or those who are dozing off during takeoff.

So why do passengers have this feeling, is the plane really crashing and is it really that scary? Corry Lane, commercial airline captain and Director of Safety at Cirrus Aviation - a private aircraft rental and management company in Nevada (USA) - has given the answer to many people's questions.

Many people feel like the plane is crashing and their body is floating during takeoff, but this is completely normal and there is no need to worry too much (Photo: Pinterest).

According to Corry Lane, the process from when the plane takes off and reaches cruising altitude must go through many complicated stages and the pilot's task is to ensure this process is as safe and smooth as possible for the passengers.

However, there are still stages when passengers feel a difference in the plane's movement, giving them the feeling that the plane is in free fall.

During the taxiing and departure from the ground, the aircraft's engines must operate at near maximum power and thrust, providing the aircraft with enough lift to take off at a steep angle. During this phase, the aircraft's nose usually tilts up from 10 to 20 degrees, depending on the aircraft type and weight. Passengers can clearly feel the aircraft soaring.

Once the plane reaches 1,000 feet (about 300m) above the ground, the pilot begins to reduce engine power to transition from takeoff to climb. This will help prolong engine life, save fuel and reduce engine noise. At this stage, the nose of the plane will be lowered slightly, allowing the plane to change its angle of climb and increase speed.

“The angle of the plane is reduced, which helps increase speed. This is the moment when passengers often feel like the plane is falling,” Corry Lane shared. “In reality, at this point the plane is still climbing, not falling like passengers feel.”

“The combination of the reduced angle of bank, the quieter engines and the changing G-forces gives passengers the feeling that the altitude is dropping and the plane is falling,” Lane added.

To explain simply, G-force is the force that humans feel when speed or direction of movement changes suddenly, such as when an airplane, car, roller coaster, etc. accelerates or changes direction suddenly. In normal state, the human body will experience a force of 1G, but when the plane takes off, the force will increase from 1.1G to 1.3G.

Corry Lane said that pilots will also feel like their bodies are floating and the plane is crashing, but because they are so familiar with this and have to focus on controlling the plane, changing engine performance... they are not too concerned.

The “plane crash” feeling during takeoff will be different at some airports or in different weather conditions.

Some airports have regulations on engine noise during takeoff, such as John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, which requires pilots to quickly reduce engine power after takeoff to reduce noise. The rapid change in engine power will make passengers feel a stronger freefall after takeoff.

Airports in mountainous or coastal areas, with short runways, will force the plane to take off at a greater angle of bank, which will also give passengers a more intense free-fall sensation as the plane reaches the appropriate altitude and gradually lowers its nose angle.

Corry Lane also said that passengers sitting closer to the back of the plane will feel the free fall more clearly when the plane takes off.

Interestingly, the nicer the weather and the less turbulence there is, the more free-falling the passengers will feel when the plane takes off. This is because if the weather is bad, the plane will shake more, which will mask the feeling of free-falling for the passengers.

Corry Lane asserts that the feeling of the plane falling and the body becoming suspended during take-off is a normal problem and only lasts for a few seconds, so passengers do not need to be too concerned or worried about this.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/vi-sao-hanh-khach-co-cam-giac-nhu-may-bay-bi-roi-trong-khi-dang-cat-canh-20251119154852129.htm