Learn to Fly

APRIL 11, 2024

Once the decision is made to divert, the next decision is to return to the departure, continue to the alternate (which was determined as part of flight planning), or pick a new destination to get out of the weather. Ceiling—How high are the clouds; can you fly above or around them? This tends to result in extreme conditions.

Weather 52

Weather Wind Shear Turbulence Ceiling 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

This allows you to make quick adjustments to your flight plan. Cloud ceilings below 1,500 feet or cumulonimbus clouds can trigger a SPECI. A sudden wind shift, a 10-knot or greater speed increase, a 45-degree or more direction change, or gusts exceeding limits may also cause a SPECI.

Altimeter 52

Altimeter Weather Wind Shear Runway 52

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 17, 2024

SIGMETs alert pilots to more severe weather events like thunderstorms, volcanic ash, or strong turbulence that could pose serious risks to any flight. In this article, we’ll discuss what makes AIRMETs and SIGMETs important, how to read them, and why each matters for flight planning. But do you know how to read them?

UTC 52

UTC Turbulence Weather Knot 52

Photographic Logbook

APRIL 19, 2024

On Wednesday, April 17, I broke ground exactly at 11:00 am as planned. I expected to manage some cloud layers during the New York portion of the flight, but the forecast called for a high ceiling at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. It added less than 10 minutes to the overall flight time. Famous last words.)

Approach 97

Approach Wind Shear Runway VOR 97

Plane and Pilot

JULY 2, 2024

All three sets of limitations will combine to affect the outcome of our flight. We may be the best pilot ever born, but we can’t force a tired Skyhawk to climb above its genuine absolute ceiling, undefined by any performance chart. But the reported ceiling was only 400 feet at the appointed hour.

Density Altitude 53

Density Altitude Airplanes Pilot Wind Shear 53