I developed a fear of flying about 10 years ago because of a similar incident and lost it only a few years ago. I'm a big plane buff so my problem used to be t

I developed a fear of flying about 10 years ago because of a similar incident and lost it only a few years ago. I'm a big plane buff so my problem used to be that I knew just enough to scare me - in my opinion, being rational rarely helps matters when you're in the moment. With that said, you should be aware of a few things. 1) Turbulence isn't dangerous to an aircraft. Very extreme turbulence is part of the design process of all aircraft - they test the airframe so that the wings can bend almost 30 degrees! 2) Even when going through turbulent air, the plane is not moving a significant amount compared to the height you are flying at. Very extreme turbulence might push you up or down several feet. You're traveling 30,000ft + above the ground. As long as you keep your seatbelt on you should be perfectly fine. However, there are some things you can do to ameliorate these concerns when you're booking travel. 1) Fly on larger, more stable aircraft. Prefer A32X's, 737's and up over commuter jets or turboprops. 2) Pick seats near the wing. Generally turbulence is less well felt near the wings of the aircraft compared to the back or the front.