comments from CFI's wanted

[classicrock]

I had an lesson scheduled this day. I am a VFR private pilot in training I checked 800wxbrief and it said there was a convective sigmet issued in my area(SE Texas-my departure airport is KSGR. the TAF reported MVFR: showers in the vacinity before, during, and after the time of lesson

would you have gone forward with the lesson today. we would have practiced the slow flight manuever

comments from CFI's?

 

[James331]

How did it look out the window?

 

[classicrock]

which window? what window?

 

[DoubleD]

Exactly. MVFR could be up to 3000' and 5 miles vis. I'd check radar, look out the window, and if ceiling>2000', I'd go. Could be a good day to practice ground reference maneuvers. Stalls and slow flight, maybe not.

 

[EdFred]

I would have showed up to the airport, and determined whether to fly or not on how the weather looked at that moment.

Forecasts are pretty much useless.

 

[James331]

which window? what window?

I mean how did it look at the airport.

For slow flight and basic PPL maneuvers you just need the local airport area to be VFR or maybe even the high end of MVFR, don't need CAVU statewide or anything to just go up and work on PPL stuff.

 

[MikeELP]

I would have showed up to the airport, and determined whether to fly or not on how the weather looked at that moment.

Forecasts are pretty much useless.

That sounds about right. And if the weather deteriorates, do a ground lesson.

Never a wasted day.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Exactly. MVFR could be up to 3000' and 5 miles vis. I'd check radar, look out the window, and if ceiling>2000', I'd go. Could be a good day to practice ground reference maneuvers. Stalls and slow flight, maybe not.

MVFR could be 2900 ft ceilings and 100 miles vis, or it could be clear with 4 miles viz...if EITHER is below the parameter, it becomes MVFR. Could be great flying weather.

 

[Shawn]

Not a CFI, but a convective sigmet forecast is just ONE piece of information for creating an overall picture in making a go/no go weather decision...not the ONLY deciding factor.

I trained in some pretty wild weather and my CFI and I would do all the planning and forecast observation, but would always move forward with the flight and wait to make the decision when it was actually time to walk to the plane. We only scrubbed twice but had many more times that we got up where the "forecast" said it should have been worse than it was.

 

[MAKG1]

I'd be thinking twice about that squall line over the airport. Might not be the best day for a student to be learning something aside from why thunderstorms are bad.

But, yeah, observations always trump forecasts. That squall line could be gone pretty quickly, and with no others in sight, it might possibly be a "go."

A convective SIGMET is much more important than a convective outlook. The former is something airliners will react to. And the combination of thunderstorms in the area and MVFR isn't good. It means you can't see the thunderstorms more than 5 miles off. That's much too close.

It may be different if you have weather radar or a stormscope or some other direct detection for thunderstorms. XM and ADS-B do NOT count. Too much delay to dodge the bad stuff.

If it were me, I'd go to the airport with the expectation of a fairly likely weather cancellation.

 

[jordane93]

Weather is a lot more than looking at weather.com and the METAR. Go over the different weather charts with your CFI

 

[AggieMike88]

Go over the different weather charts with your CFI

This plus how to interpret the online brief. Even better is to sit with your CFI at a speakerphone while talking to the briefer. Have the 800wxBrief.com site up while he's talking, telling the briefer you're a student pilot and want to learn.

If you get a good briefer, they will take time to explain more rather than just recite the info.

But if weather today is good enough to fly..... go fly.

 

[classicrock]

I appreciate all the comments.
to me, driving out to the airport(35 min drive for me)and making the final determination there isnt the best use of time especially if the weather is bad.(and looking out the window at the flying school wont necessarily reveal a thunderstorm 5 miles away). Yes I can and have done some ground school at the flying school, yet I do the majority of that at home with Cessna's online ground school) I do have my instructor's cell so we do talk and text the day of the lesson. my weather decisionmaking is still evolving hence my post here today.

 

[Skip Miller]

I realize this is purely anecdotal to your situation, but during my training for PPASEL we were under a severe thunderstorm watch but it was CAVU, mild winds. We (me and my CFI) decided to launch because at that point in my training I was staying in the pattern doing crash and goes. After about six times around we saw a thin layer of moisture forming a layer at about 800 feet AGL. We finished that lap with a full stop and were able to get tied down, debriefed, and in the car on the way home before the heavens opened up and I was very glad to be in the car!

In retrospect it was a very good training opportunity for weather awareness! And my landings? Some would say they still need work....

-Skip

 

[BigBadLou]

I second the squall line comment. That is never good news due to rapid wind shifts, pressure changes and often storms and lightning following.
I am surprised that the Stinkyland ... errr ... Sugarland TAF did not show any TEMPO with something like 33015G30. That is usually what we see here in Central TX with a squall line passage (it passed last night and went to Houston, you are welcome ).

Knowing what I know now, that the squall line was very mild (another one coming down, btw), it could have been an uneventful lesson. But I didn't know last night how the weather turned out.

You canceled your lesson because you had a doubt. That is often better than ignoring the doubt, launching and then being stuck up there while the 15G30 is moving across the rwy at 90-degree angle. Local heavy showers/downpours are not dangerous as long as you stay away (they actually look cool) but local t-storms are something you should avoid, at least at your early stage. Just MHO.

Now wait for a better weather window and go fly. And don't forget to HAVE FUN!

 

[bobmrg]

I second the squall line comment. That is never good news due to rapid wind shifts, pressure changes and often storms and lightning following.
I am surprised that the Stinkyland ... errr ... Sugarland TAF did not show any TEMPO with something like 33015G30. That is usually what we see here in Central TX with a squall line passage (it passed last night and went to Houston, you are welcome ).

Knowing what I know now, that the squall line was very mild (another one coming down, btw), it could have been an uneventful lesson. But I didn't know last night how the weather turned out.

You canceled your lesson because you had a doubt. That is often better than ignoring the doubt, launching and then being stuck up there while the 15G30 is moving across the rwy at 90-degree angle. Local heavy showers/downpours are not dangerous as long as you stay away (they actually look cool) but local t-storms are something you should avoid, at least at your early stage. Just MHO.

Now wait for a better weather window and go fly. And don't forget to HAVE FUN!

No matter how many hours or pilot certificates you hold, always listen to that voice in your head that says "Not today...maybe tomorrow." I have rejected revenue flights because something told me that I would be getting in over my head: "If Boeing wants that part delivered tonight let them use one of their jets instead of my light twin."

Bob Gardner