weather flight hazards

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classicrock

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acousticguitar
I am a vfr private pilot in training and I have learned that I dont really like flying in really turbulent conditions read: really gusty, windy conditions. (I fly in the airspace above Houston Tx, and fly out of KDWH). I always check aviationweather.gov before I depart for the airport, because its a 40min drive from home. and I normally text my CFI before I depart for the airport if I think the weather is questionable, to get his opinion.

Recently I also attended a meeting of a local flying club and in attendance was a CFI, I asked the CFI if he would fly in an Airmet Tango. he replied:"no"

question: of the private pilots here, How many will knowingly takeoff and fly in an area with Airmet Tango conditions or if you are on a cross country trip, and find out there is an Airmet Tango along the way, will fly around it if practical or fly straight through it?
 
For me, an airmet tango on its own is not necessarily a no-go, but it's definitely one data point among many to consider. Do I have a passenger? Am I stuck under a ceiling or airspace that would prevent me from climbing to smoother air? Is it windy? How long is the flight? One strike is not too bad, but they start adding up quickly and eating into my personal margins.
 
If I'm flying with pax I try to go up on the best days possible. You want to make them as comfortable as you can.
 
It might make sense for a new pilot to avoid an AIRMET T, but a CFI?

If the AIRMET is for moderate turbulence alone, I'll fly it, as long as it's consistent with the mission (no first time flyers). LLWS, or severe turbulence, maybe not. Most of the time, you can figure out what's up with the turbulence from winds aloft or the skew-T's, and it isn't hard to avoid.

Note that AIRMET T does not include convective turbulence. That's the nasty stuff. No flying around thunderstorms unless I can see them and stay FAR away.
 
If I didn't fly in airmets I'd probably never fly, especially a T.

Go off pireps, surface winds and what it looks like outside.

I've flown bunches of times in tangos and had a pleasant ride.
 
No problem,if I'm going cross country,or have some place to be,might not go if I'm just flying for breakfast.
 
James331 said:
I've flown bunches of times in tangos and had a pleasant ride.
Click to expand...
Same here. You need to read the details of the airmet as sometimes it covers the square mileage your operating in but the vertical part is way above you. Like James, I've seen a Tango appear over where I'm flying but never experienced a bump.

C'rock, that you're thinking of this is 100% perfectly okay. It shows me that your catching on to an important concept, personal minimums. As a student, you should have a lower threshold of saying, "Uh uh, I'm saying on the ground today." This is part of the learning process. As you gain knowledge and experience, these will change and you'll look back to today's choices with fond memories.

When I first started, I was a little spooked by winds approaching and being over 15knots, especially if the crosswind component was 8knots or above. Now, I am comfortable with it and am okay with a crosswind just under the max demonstrated (ask @SixPapaCharlie about the PnP flight he took with me to a very windy KBGD).

Be encouraged, you're on a good track.
 
I've been flying for about 14 years and I still do not like turbulent conditions. If I have good reason to believe conditions will be very bumpy, I'll cancel a pleasure flight. But as others have indicated, an Airmet Tango by itself is not enough reason. Pireps and surface winds are other factors I look at before deciding whether to launch. Surface winds over 15 kts I will usually not go if it's just for pleasure, and over 25 kts during the day is a good indicator of low level moderate (at least) turbulence in the areas where I fly, so I will simply stay on the ground if winds like that are reported.

As AggieMike said, it's good that you are thinking about personal minimums. With time and experience, you'll find your comfort level, and maybe even expand it a bit (always slowly and cautiously).
 
My minimums for wind and turbulence vary according to the mission.
  • First time pax are very low
  • Local pleasure flights aren't fun if it's very bumpy
  • Breakfast runs are okay with some bumps, if you've experienced enough to not re experience breakfast because of them. Or else change your order from huevos rancheros to pancakes! They stay down better, no grease to stir around.
  • My limits are much higher if I'm traveling, and will fly out of the bumps (either climb out or leave the bumpy area).
 
I just flew from Nor Cal to So Cal and back...250nm XC trip...we got worked most of the way down...no Airmet.

On the return trip there was an Airmet Tango SFC-11,000' for all but 30 miles of the trip...we flew back at 8'500. Smooth flight.

Airmet Tango is ONE piece of information in a comprehensive go/no go decision...but personally I have yet to make a call on only that piece of information alone.
 
Advice I got during training was passengers will think light turbulence is moderate, and anything higher is the plane is going to shake apart. For more experienced, light turbulence is nothing, moderate is uncomfortable to maybe hitting your head on the roof, and anything else is things flying around the cockpit and you don't want to be up there (at least in a small plane). Of course all turbulence is relative, and assessment varies, and example given here may be extreme.
 
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