"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ScyGf.763242$_o.277999@attbi_s71...
....
En route we encountered mostly light to moderate turbulence, with long
periods of little "bumps" intermixed with some pretty good jolts. I hit
my head on the ceiling once, and my seat belt was plenty tight.

Having 1:45 to study this uncomfortable mode of flight, we discerned
something about turbulence that we'd not noticed befo Upon entering an
area of more severe turbulence, air speed invariably climbs.


Besides all the other stuff people have written herein, the increased IAS
reading may also be a function of the location of your static port, with
respect to the direction of the stronger gusts.

Recall that airspeed measurement is a function of the difference between
your static pressure and your pitot pressure. A sudden quartering wind
gust, with your static port in the lee of the gust, will increase the IAS
reading. Similarly, a sudden drop in the wind (with the static port on the
windward side of the aircraft) will increase the IAS reading. Until the
aircraft re-stabilizes its crab with the new airflow.