Why can't planes fly above turbulence?

Let's say you are flying on a major carrier and cruising along at 35,000 feet (pretty typical) - at this altitude you would be well above most weather related turbulence (though not all) but would still be affected by what is commonly called clear air turbulence, or shifting air masses (jet stream has a big impact on CAT). read more

Passengers might feel the plane “plummeting” or “diving” — words the media can’t get enough of — when in fact it’s hardly moving. I remember one night, headed to Europe, hitting some unusually rough air about halfway across the Atlantic. It was the kind of turbulence people tell their friends about. read more

Gust alleviation senses the initial response of the aircraft to turbulence and uses the ailerons and/or the flaps to alter the wing’s lift characteristics and reduce the effects of turbulence (effectively reducing the lift slope discussed above). read more