Avoiding Turbulence

Source: www.pilotworkshop.com
Featuring Scott Dennstaedt

Altitude is your best friend when negotiating through a convective environment.
How high is enough? Well, the higher the better.

You need to climb high enough to get a couple thousand feet above the haze layer. When above the haze layer the visibility is generally very good, and you are able to see most of the towering cumulus and thunderstorms even if they are 20 or more miles away. This makes it much easier to deviate around any building cells.

If you are down below the haze layer, the visibility is typically poor and you may be flying through some hefty cumulus clouds. It becomes nearly impossible to negotiate your way around any significant cells, and the risk of stumbling into something hazardous is much greater.