Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024

I cursed my decision to depart in developing low weather, but the only choice now was to press on through the crud, dodging cellular towers lining the highway. A call to home base for a land-supported retrieval provided ample opportunity for explanation in response to my peers’ interrogation: “What were you thinking, flying in this weather?”

Weather 52

Weather Ceiling Approach Clearance 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

In aviation, staying ahead of the weather is a must. When weather conditions shift unexpectedly, that’s when a SPECI report comes in. A SPECI (or Special Report) offers a quick weather update between the routine METARs. Let’s explore how SPECIs are going to help you plan around unexpected weather twists.

Altimeter 52

Altimeter Weather Wind Shear Runway 52

Chess In the Air

JULY 4, 2022

I have tried to wait out a storm only to watch a bigger and badder one to move in and the overall weather situation getting worse. We should make more pro-active use of our radios to warn other aviators of threatening weather. They are also not limited to summer soaring weather. Are dry microbursts really invisible?

Wind Shear 52

Wind Shear AGL Lift Runway 52

Photographic Logbook

FEBRUARY 4, 2024

While accidents might result from dangerous weather, poor fuel management, or hastily overlooked maintenance issues, an underlying root cause may be a pilot falling prey to these situations due to a laser focus on completing the mission in spite of circumstances that make flying unwise. Peak of Whiteface with Lake Placid behind it.

Ceiling 52

Ceiling Approach Pilot Weather 52

Flying Magazine

MAY 1, 2024

Answer: When looking at the surface analysis chart issued every three hours by meteorologists at the Weather Prediction Center (WPC), you may have seen a tan dashed line with a label “OUTFLOW BNDRY” nearby. Crescent-shaped convective outflow boundary as detected on NEXRAD Doppler weather radar.

Wind Shear 114

Wind Shear Weather Turbulence Knot 114

Air Facts

APRIL 29, 2024

A pit stop at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (KCRE) was planned, and after a weather briefing, I filed an IFR flight plan. The Mooney is well-equipped for weather avoidance as it is equipped with a sophisticated spheric lighting detector. I immediately leveled off at around 650’ AGL, and began slowing down.

Descent 98

Descent Approach Weather AGL 98

Chess In the Air

JUNE 24, 2022

He frequently hosted visiting pilots, providing them with detailed briefings of the area and the weather. The CAPE index, a measure of convective energy and instability, was below 100 joules, indicating a very low probability of severe weather or thunderstorms. At this point he still had an altitude of 8,275 ft MSL, i.e. 2,739 ft AGL.

Pilot 52

Pilot AGL Wind Shear Runway 52

Flight Training Central

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

However, contact approaches can be the perfect tool with the right weather and airport configuration. You’re skimming the cloud tops at 3500 feet, which is 2900 feet AGL You ask Approach for lower, but the controller says you’re already at the MVA for the area so you can’t get lower. Doing so at night is a death wish.

Approach 52

Approach Pilot Clearance Descent 52

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 1, 2025

Part of these standards is understanding how weather conditions can affect the flight performance of their drones. To this end, drone pilots are expected to understand weather forecasts in the form of METAR and TAF reports. Key Takeaways METAR and TAF provide vital weather info for pilots. METAR vs TAF: Whats the Difference?

Turbulence 98

Turbulence AGL Weather UTC 98