Thinking about personal Wx minimums

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
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Jaybird180
I had a situation recently that revealed it's time I revisit my personal minimums. I decided them years ago based on what I had experienced in a training environment and what I felt I could be comfortable with, but I hadn't always put them into real-world, single pilot context or tested if they're practicable. Some may consider they're probably too stringent. I'm okay with that but it is time to re-evaluate to see if I want to change them.

My most recent experience wasn't nuanced enough to calculate that I wouldn't be able to complete a flight evaluation and it ended up being a huge waste of time.

What I realized is that because I'm a returning pilot who hadn't done any XC work in a long time, my ability to put what little Aviation weather knowledge I have into context to make go-no go decision had atrophied.

I need a way to improve my knowledge but more importantly, my ability to analyze the available data to make a better decision and/or plan. Resources have changed over the ensuing years and I feel it would be helpful to get some practical mentorship. Feasibility???

Suggestions welcome.
 
I really like the 1800wxbrief website. You can get a detailed briefing online with graphics, then if you have any questions you can call them for an abbreviated briefing on the concern areas. Those weather nerds can help immensely.

Lately, I’ve been getting my briefings via the Trip Planning section of Garmin Pilot, and going to the main website for all the extra graphics.

Experience helps, but always err on the conservative side because even weathermen get it wrong.
 
my resources are:

1800wxbrief.com
1-800-WXBRIEF (if there's any questions)
aviationweather.gov
windy.com

(*yes. I still talk to a human-being briefer if there's anything worth talking about. I'd rather have a second set of highly experienced eyes on my flight before I go play in in the ice, thunderstorms, microbursts and freezing drizzle.)
 
I had no idea I could still call. I used to talk to a phone briefer but figured everything went digital DIY.
 
Are you asking for suggestions on the minimums (ceiling, visibility, etc.) or sources from which to obtain the weather information? The initial responses capture the latter well. As for the former, if you are out of practice I would start with an instructional flight with a CFI to validate your basic skills. From there, start with MVFR as a minimum and then as you become more proficient lower your numbers as comfortable. For me I try to strike the balance of low enough to be 'highly aware/engaged' but not crossing into nervous/anxious.

I have been flying a lot lately, including IMC, so my minimums in the flat Midwest are consistent with published minimums. I would adjust for more variable terrain or for an unfamiliar/complex approach.
 
I use foreflight and I love it, load it up with the flight categories and basically green = go.

I also have a metar map at home with much of the area I fly in and I can just glance at that, again green = go.

I mean there are so many days in the year, green VFR conditions are the best. If you are changing into blue then that’s where you can set your personal minimums. I’ve done 1000’ ceilings at night and I didn’t like it, I was basically scud running but a route I was familiar with, didn’t help that it was at night. Ceilings appeared to be getting worse, so I was prepared to do an approach if needed but I was sticking with the runway straight ahead. On landing the landing light fuse popped and it didn’t work, oh there’s the ground, bump, wasn’t bad but was a surprise, my goal was to land, did not want to go up and around again for fear of getting into the clouds.
 
mandm said:
I use foreflight and I love it, load it up with the flight categories and basically green = go.

I also have a metar map at home with much of the area I fly in and I can just glance at that, again green = go.

I mean there are so many days in the year, green VFR conditions are the best. If you are changing into blue then that’s where you can set your personal minimums. I’ve done 1000’ ceilings at night and I didn’t like it, I was basically scud running but a route I was familiar with, didn’t help that it was at night. Ceilings appeared to be getting worse, so I was prepared to do an approach if needed but I was sticking with the runway straight ahead. On landing the landing light fuse popped and it didn’t work, oh there’s the ground, bump, wasn’t bad but was a surprise, my goal was to land, did not want to go up and around again for fear of getting into the clouds.
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Did you reevaluate your personal mins after that experience?
 
mandm said:
I use foreflight and I love it, load it up with the flight categories and basically green = go.

I also have a metar map at home with much of the area I fly in and I can just glance at that, again green = go.
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That works great until the magenta line that connects the green dots goes through areas that aren't VFR.
 
Jaybird180 said:
I had no idea I could still call. I used to talk to a phone briefer but figured everything went digital DIY.
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Not only that, but they love to hear from you. Their jobs are going away due to online and in-cockpit weather availability. I even had one briefer tell my student, "You can call us with any questions about the weather, even if you aren't planning on flying."

I like to self-brief, then call the FSS number to see if they point out things I may have missed or misunderstood.
 
I would suggest a refresher with a CFII to hone IFR skills, then do some XCs, VFR at first, then MVFR. You can compare what you see in the air with your weather products. Others have pointed out excellent weather sites. 1800wxbrief is a great first stop, and when planning IFR I always scrutinize (among other things) the cloud tops forecast, which is usually pretty good. I always want to know if I can top the overcast and what if any icing is expected so I know my altitude limits and outs. Weather products are so much better and more detailed now than they were when I trained 30 years ago. It feels almost like cheating, especially if you have ADS-B weather display in the cockpit to boot.
 
Here’s my protocol, first do the preflight weather checking. One can get an idea 3 days out, but most comes down inside 20-16 hours. With that forecast, you then always check right up to during the flight. The next can list a different hour window, fine, you get the idea.

The next is a modern biggie, that’s having a screen to get almost real-time weather info while flying. That could be ads weather or XM if desired. Once you have that, you need the discipline to adjust to given conditions.
 
In almost 50 years as a pilot, I can't say that I've ever had a specific personal minimum that I would expect to adhere to. There are so many other variables that go into risk management, and a ceiling of a few hundred feet or a visibility of five miles vs. three miles in and of itself only has a partial impact on a go/no-go decision for me. I think it's illogical to look back on a bad outcome with the comfort of, "Well, it was above my personal minimums." Weather is just not that predictable.

I'd rather look at how many "outs" I have if things turn out different than what was forecast and how willing I am to accept those as an alternative. Number one on that list (and it's hard to do) is turning around and landing somewhere else.
 
Weather related go/no-go is a highly regional thing. Beyond the advice already presented, I'll suggest an unofficial source like skyvector. You can do a bit of route planning and display TFRs and warnings for turbulence, ice, and see pireps. It's not "official" so you'll still need to do a proper briefing, but it a great visual.

As for minimums, consider the reason for the flight, route, and regional weather patterns. For instance, there's marginal VFR conditions locally that are a no go for training but may be ok for a XC towards clear air.
 
DesertNomad said:
What product are you using for cloud tops?
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1800WXBrief has a cloud forecast that normally includes both ceilings and tops. I can get the forecast maps from there in several of my EFB app weather functions as well. These maps will give you a good idea if you can get above tops for a planned trip.
 
scottd said:
Personal weather minimums are essential to making good decisions in my opinion. That's why I ended up creating my own app that looks at the route of flight and compares the weather against your personal minimums to determine the best time to depart. It's the way I can quickly quantify my own risk. If you call 1800wxbrief, they don't know your personal minimums. So you need to take the extra steps to apply those to the verbal briefing you get. In my mind, very difficult.
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Hi Scott- Long time no see. Name of App?
 
scottd said:
Just keep in mind that they pulled together several existing advisory circulars to create this new document. No real "new" material.
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Well then just keep reading all the outdated information the FAA removed in those ACs.
 
During the private pilot practical exam, expect the examiner to ask if you have personal minimums and whether they are written down.
 
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