If you encounter severe turbulence, what flight condition should you try to maintain?

Maintaining a level flight attitude during severe turbulence is crucial for several reasons. First, it helps ensure the aircraft remains in controlled flight, preventing sudden changes in altitude or airspeed that could exacerbate the situation. When an aircraft encounters turbulence, the pilots must focus on stabilizing the aircraft to avoid stress on the structure and enhance passenger comfort.

Level flight attitude assists in managing the aircraft's performance parameters, such as airspeed and control surface effectiveness, which can be severely affected by turbulent conditions. Furthermore, maintaining level flight allows for better situational awareness, enabling pilots to make informed decisions regarding potential deviations from route or altitude, if necessary.

Climbing or descending in turbulent conditions can be risky due to the potential for updrafts and downdrafts, which can lead to loss of control. Banking maneuvers should also be avoided, as they can provoke additional instability. For all these reasons, striving to maintain a level flight attitude is the optimal strategy in the face of severe turbulence.