Originally Posted by
cova
Has happened to me a few times. Flight from IAH to MSY - midway - a smooth flight - then all of a sudden the plane just drops - quick. Cart goes in the air - FAs go to ceiling. Plane continues - no announcement.
Also - bad turb on a flight from EWR to GRU - I had to hold on to the FA to keep her from going to the ceiling. Sometimes things like this happen - but not very often. The planes are designed to withstand the bounce.
744 flights to SYD seem to always hit turb midway - even in a FC bed in the front nose section you bounce around - likely worst in the back. That far from land - I would rather be in a big 744 with four engines.
Just part of flying - and an important reason to keep seat belt buckled during flight.
The conclusion is valid, but none of those sound like wake turbulence, especially (hopefully!) a transpac flight to SYD. Those sound like clear air turbulence; unless, of course, the weather wasn't clear.
One would generally expect to encounter wake turbulence durning t/o, landing, and near the airport; less so during cruise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_turbulence