Fun time with Weather.

Learn all you can at home and remember weather forecasts do not always improve. Go out with an experienced CFII in marginal vfr conditions before doing it alone or with passengers. Do some hood work and learn how to use all avionics in case of an emergency. Know the cloud clearance/airspace rules- it is for our safety more than anything else. I recommend some form of updatable onboard wx like G496 XM or ADS-B on the Ipad. Monitor 122.0. Set personal minimums and stick to them. If you get pushed down to 1,500' agl, you need to have obstacle alerts, four eyes out front, synthetic vision is great and a runway close by or do a 180*. Always be prepared to stay extra days. We spent four extra in Sebring, Florida starting June 8th, the day that family died in the Pilatus crash near Lakeland. Our flight home was still challenging on the 12th. I'd like to see more wx threads on this site, especially this time of year.
 
marcoseddi said:
PPL thanks guys
Click to expand...

If your going for your PPL. For the information you are having trouble with, make flash cards. And, just review them everyday. I had about 120 of them. Eventually, I was down to 20 of them. I just reviewed them a couple of times a day.

I have only got through the oral segment of my check ride. I did a discontinuance for weather, and hopefully tomorrow be able to get the flight in if the weather is OK. I found that I ended up being able to make it through just fine.
 
MDeitch1976 said:
If your going for your PPL. For the information you are having trouble with, make flash cards. And, just review them everyday. I had about 120 of them. Eventually, I was down to 20 of them. I just reviewed them a couple of times a day.

I have only got through the oral segment of my check ride. I did a discontinuance for weather, and hopefully tomorrow be able to get the flight in if the weather is OK. I found that I ended up being able to make it through just fine.
Click to expand...

Oral did he/she ask alot about weather?
 
marcoseddi said:
Oral did he/she ask alot about weather?
Click to expand...

He gave me a couple of scenarios, and changed the weather conditions a couple of times.
I do not remember them word for word. The first scenario: the night before flying a XC route I had a little cold. I took some cold medicine, and the next morning woke up and felt much better. The ceiling enroute is 3000 OVC. Currently the conditions are mist with 5sm visibility. It is supposed to get a lot warmer outside as it gets closer to my departure time. There was more to this, I can not remember it all. Would you go, or not go? How did you make this decision.

Then he changed the conditions around a little. Also, threw in there... My boss needed me to get there that day. Threw in a scenario where the night before the comm radio had failed. The mechanic checked the radio, and found no problem.

Even though I had good answers and showed that I had the ability to use the correct decision making process, and made the correct decisions, he still had more knowledge to throw in there.

Like people have said, you are there to talk aviation with someone for an hour. He is going to know if you know your stuff or not. If he has suspicions, he will dig deeper. At the same time when you are correct, he shares some of his knowledge with you. I imagine the flight will probably be the same way.

He took away some of the nervousness with some humor. Also, while pointing out things for me to identify on the charts, he would point out fun airports to go to, and why, even had pictures of one. Made it much more comfortable.

As far as studying weather. I spent a lot of time trying to remember all of the specifics of which each weather map, and chart, and forecast supplied, and what the times they were released are, etc... While they could ask you this if they wanted, I don't feel mine would of. He didn't pull out any weather maps, or charts. He did have me review my flight plan with him, and if we were going to go. He also, asked how I received my weather. In which I told him, I had been observing the weather several days before. I used DUATS, Aviationweather.gov, and NOAA.gov, and of course a standard briefing when filing my flight plan. When the time came, I told him we probably will not be going unless the weather changed, and I need to call and get an update. He gave me the weather from his phone at two of the airports in the vicinity we would be. It was beautiful at the home drome, but where we were going to be, overcast at one at 800 and mist, and Broken at 800 at the other with fog and mist. So, I asked for a discontinuance.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Last edited:
MDeitch1976 said:
He gave me a couple of scenarios, and changed the weather conditions a couple of times.
I do not remember them word for word. The first scenario: the night before flying a XC route I had a little cold. I took some cold medicine, and the next morning woke up and felt much better. The ceiling enroute is 3000 OVC. Currently the conditions are mist with 5sm visibility. It is supposed to get a lot warmer outside as it gets closer to my departure time. There was more to this, I can not remember it all. Would you go, or not go? How did you make this decision.

Then he changed the conditions around a little. Also, threw in there... My boss needed me to get there that day. Threw in a scenario where the night before the comm radio had failed. The mechanic checked the radio, and found no problem.

Even though I had good answers and showed that I had the ability to use the correct decision making process, and made the correct decisions, he still had more knowledge to throw in there.

Like people have said, you are there to talk aviation with someone for an hour. He is going to know if you know your stuff or not. If he has suspicions, he will dig deeper. At the same time when you are correct, he shares some of his knowledge with you. I imagine the flight will probably be the same way.

He took away some of the nervousness with some humor. Also, while pointing out things for me to identify on the charts, he would point out fun airports to go to, and why, even had pictures of one. Made it much more comfortable.

As far as studying weather. I spent a lot of time trying to remember all of the specifics of which each weather map, and chart, and forecast supplied, and what the times they were released are, etc... While they could ask you this if they wanted, I don't feel mine would of. He didn't pull out any weather maps, or charts. He did have me review my flight plan with him, and if we were going to go. He also, asked how I received my weather. In which I told him, I had been observing the weather several days before. I used DUATS, Aviationweather.gov, and NOAA.gov, and of course a standard briefing when filing my flight plan. When the time came, I told him we probably will not be going unless the weather changed, and I need to call and get an update. He gave me the weather from his phone at two of the airports in the vicinity we would be. It was beautiful at the home drome, but where we were going to be, overcast at one at 800 and mist, and Broken at 800 at the other with fog and mist. So, I asked for a discontinuance.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...

Can you explain your answer to that first scenario I just did the weather chapters, and I wouldnt be able to answer that.. What does the cold medicine the night before have to do with it, thats okay because it was the night before I assume and then, I am assuming you are going to try and predict the weather from what he said but I wouldn't even know how to predict from that... By the way thanks for your help..
 
marcoseddi said:
Can you explain your answer to that first scenario I just did the weather chapters, and I wouldnt be able to answer that.. What does the cold medicine the night before have to do with it, thats okay because it was the night before I assume and then, I am assuming you are going to try and predict the weather from what he said but I wouldn't even know how to predict from that... By the way thanks for your help..
Click to expand...

Actually, he also threw in unstable air. So yes, you can figure it out. Well, first off with the cold medicine use the IMSAFE model, and make sure the medicine is no longer having an affect on me, and will not definitely not be a factor at the time of my flight. But, with the ceiling being 3000 it is already marginal. The visibility is also marginal. 1000 to 3000 ft AGL ceilings and 3 to 5SM vis is MVFR. Because there is also moisture in the air, and it is getting hotter(heat will cause the moist air to rise), and there is an unstable air mass, all 3 items needed for thunderstorms to build. Sounds to me like thunderstorms could possibly build up.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Thanks for that I am going to have to study the weather alot more! A few more times to get more a grasp!
 
marcoseddi said:
Thanks for that I am going to have to study the weather alot more! A few more times to get more a grasp!
Click to expand...

What are you using for your studying? Definitely, use one of the prep books as well. I liked the Gleim. I also used AOPA has some interactive courses. Definitely ask questions.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I appreciate you guys sharing your info, I am learning all I can at home, don't have a CFI yet. Using a learn to fly course I got from Sporty's pilot shops and a flight simulator. I hope to begin with an Instructor by the spring. Seems my biggest problem so far is soaking in what I need to know about weather ...
 
Learning weather has been the most difficult task for me, but one of the most interesting. Checking the wx online and outside is probably the second thing I do in the morning after coffee. It is downhill from here on with fewer and shorter flying days. I try to learn something new about weather everyday. You will find the forecasts are wrong more than right, so always have a backup plan. Weather was one of the least discussed topics in my training. School rules did not allow any marginal wx flying. I went up with two different CFI's later that introduced me to a little wx on several occasions. Of course when you are on your own with the family on board it is different. Never be afraid of to chicken out. The first time I turned around was the hardest. When you are used to things always going right and completing the trip, it becomes difficult to make that turn. All you think about is, "There goes another day in a hotel, car rental, hangar/tie down, 30 gallons of 100LL and food. Then I think of all of those families I have read about in the news or ntsb reports and feel much better about my decision. If you wait for clear blue skies and no wind, there will be a lot of cancelled trips. So far the VFR return trips that were cancelled this year, I would not have flown IFR either due to thunderstorms or ice. My wife and I can be pretty flexible with work and we try to plan on leaving early just in case we have to wait another day or two. Get the basics down, then find someone safe to take you out in it. Then you will better be able to compare what you see online to what it actually looks and feels like and set yourself some minimums. Have fun!
 
I have been using FAA-Ground-School.com they have an interactive and tests etc. not so sure about it i was deciding between Gleim's online school which seemed very structured.. May go that route as well.. This FAa ground school.com's vidoes are great but i think i may need some more on the weather, they rely a lot on the faa handbook for giving the written as i think some of the others rewrite it themselves.. and make it easier i think to absorb, i hate the pilot book the way its written.
 
marcoseddi said:
I have been using FAA-Ground-School.com they have an interactive and tests etc. not so sure about it i was deciding between Gleim's online school which seemed very structured.. May go that route as well.. This FAa ground school.com's vidoes are great but i think i may need some more on the weather, they rely a lot on the faa handbook for giving the written as i think some of the others rewrite it themselves.. and make it easier i think to absorb, i hate the pilot book the way its written.
Click to expand...

Jeppeson also has good books. Some people like King Schools. I have on order in the mail Sporty's series on weather. I will probably buy Robert Bucks Book. I have a couple other small books I have read. Just keep learning, and keep finding ways to improve your learning. If you can only take one lesson out of a book, a DVD, or wherever, it is a valuable lesson. Like you, I have much to learn about the weather.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Iwannafly172 said:
I appreciate you guys sharing your info, I am learning all I can at home, don't have a CFI yet. Using a learn to fly course I got from Sporty's pilot shops and a flight simulator. I hope to begin with an Instructor by the spring. Seems my biggest problem so far is soaking in what I need to know about weather ...
Click to expand...

Studying for the written exam on your own is fine, but I'd be very careful about thinking that a simulator without an instructor will help. It could get you into bad habits. It is better to start with the CFI and then practice what he/she wants you to practice.
 
Ghery said:
Studying for the written exam on your own is fine, but I'd be very careful about thinking that a simulator without an instructor will help. It could get you into bad habits. It is better to start with the CFI and then practice what he/she wants you to practice.
Click to expand...

I should have clarified that the reason I do not have a CFI at the moment is I can't offord that part yet.
 
Ghery said:
Studying for the written exam on your own is fine, but I'd be very careful about thinking that a simulator without an instructor will help. It could get you into bad habits. It is better to start with the CFI and then practice what he/she wants you to practice.
Click to expand...

I have to do this the cheapest way I can. When I get able to get started on flight training I intend to do away with any bad habits....I wish I could find at least a mentor to help me along..THANK YOU for your reply!
 
When you see one of these at your destination, LAND. Rent a Car. Drive. Taken on 12/23 on the road to Sugarloaf, ME (landed in WVL).
 

Attachments

  • PC230018(small).jpg
    PC230018(small).jpg
    77.5 KB · Views: 47
bbchien said:
When you see one of these at your destination, LAND. Rent a Car. Drive. Taken on 12/23 on the road to Sugarloaf, ME (landed in WVL).
Click to expand...

Unless you are flying a glider, n'est-pas?
 
bbchien said:
When you see one of these at your destination, LAND. Rent a Car. Drive. Taken on 12/23 on the road to Sugarloaf, ME (landed in WVL).
Click to expand...

If I was at my "Destination", why would I not land, rent a car, then drive, even if I did not see one of those?
:lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top