IFR Pilots. Would you fly through it?

M

meritflyer

Well-Known Member
9-6-2002-cumulus1.jpg
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Who'd fly through this with radar and a high altitude, turbocharged airplane (capable of flight up to FL180)?
 
If i had radar, probably. I started to fly thru one of those about a month ago because ATC vectored me into it, and it wasn't very much fun
 
I've flown trough worse in a light single, at night, with nothing but an ADF. I was also the first vote. Guess what I picked?

<Jack Nickelson>
Don't be like me! Don't you be like me!!
 
Depends on a few variables. What altitude you're flying at? What the radar is painting? Judging from the photo, its definitely a building Cumulous-soon-to-be-Thunderstorm, but I think the Storm still has a few hours of building before it matures. It would bumpy without a doubt, but nothing that would bring you down out of the sky. If we were high enough, loaded with Pax, I'd probably just deviate around it. Empty airplane, no Pax or flying a light twin like a Seminole - I'd fly through it. Fun stuff! :)
 
Why fly through it? There is a clear path on either side of it so again, why fly through it? Just because you could doesn't mean you should.

ATC can't vector you to fly through it unless you accept the clearance. "Unable due to weather" is a perfectly acceptable response. Remember, you are the captain.
 
It looks easy enough to get around, no point in going through it. By the way, high altitude piston probly doesn't help you much, up at 18 would be much less fun than near the bases of it.
 
calcapt said:
Why fly through it? There is a clear path on either side of it so again, why fly through it? Just because you could doesn't mean you should.

ATC can't vector you to fly through it unless you accept the clearance. "Unable due to weather" is a perfectly acceptable response. Remember, you are the captain.
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You can be my wingman any day.

But a chance of airframe ice, MDT-SVR turbulence and potentially hail to bust out your windscreen, no point in playing IFR-rated "stud" and blasting through it when it looks pretty simple to get around.

Safety -- questionable
Passenger Comfort -- negatron.

Well, that solves it for me.
 
If you were driving down the highway in a pickup truck and see some 2x4s lying in one lane, would you hit them or switch lanes?

:)
 
Looks like many embedded storms in that line... Radar would be good for showing you that you need to avoid the area, I bet it would look pretty red in there.

I agree with SteveC... signal and change lanes...
 
calcapt said:
Depends, Is the car I am driving turbocharged? :rolleyes:
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I purposely chose a pickup truck rather than a car for the exact reason you imply. Maybe I should have added a lift kit to the description. ;)


Oh, and grabo, I'd change lanes even if I didn't have time to signal. I know that the cop a few hundred yards behind me would understand and agree with my decision.
 
calcapt said:
Why fly through it? There is a clear path on either side of it so again, why fly through it? Just because you could doesn't mean you should.

ATC can't vector you to fly through it unless you accept the clearance. "Unable due to weather" is a perfectly acceptable response. Remember, you are the captain.
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Good point. I think a lot of people are saying they'll go in it, so they look like big-bad pilots. Or as Doug mentioned the "IFR rated "stud".

A good pilot will go around it.
 
I think the point was made that going around it is the prudent thing to do. But, what if there is a theoretical situation when you would have to penetrate this thing? Many pilots wrongly think that the higher altitudes are best. Not true! Most of these type storms gain strength as they grow vertically. Some of the worst turbulence and convective activity is in the 15,000 to FL250 range. It appears to me that by looking at this particular storm that it would be almost better to go low and slow. One needs to be aware of any MEAs and terrain issues but getting beneath most of it may be the better option. Also, there is nothing wrong with considering the option of making a 180 turn and "bugging out" as Maverick would say.
 
I would definitely deviate around it. No point in going through something like that if you don't have to. Why drive over a 2 x 4 when you can just as easily go around it?
 
One thing the "young bucks", aviation-wse anyways, need to know is if you have radar, it doesn't make it to where you can penetrate anything. Some of the worst turbulence I've encountered was before anything painted on radar.

A radar only paints visible moisture. It will not tell you where the turbulence is. It will not tell you where all he11 is about to break loose (as seen in this pic).

Remember, the worst part of a thunderstorm is the turbulence and the hail...those'll kill ya. Lightning just looks scary, and rain just cleans airplanes.:D
 
You guys are a nuts! Why deviate around a towering cumulonimbus into the clear blue sky on either side when you can blast right through it at risk of life and limb to all on board?!?1!
 
Stone Cold said:
One thing the "young bucks", aviation-wse anyways, need to know is if you have radar, it doesn't make it to where you can penetrate anything. Some of the worst turbulence I've encountered was before anything painted on radar.

A radar only paints visible moisture. It will not tell you where the turbulence is. It will not tell you where all he11 is about to break loose (as seen in this pic).

Remember, the worst part of a thunderstorm is the turbulence and the hail...those'll kill ya. Lightning just looks scary, and rain just cleans airplanes.:D
Click to expand...


Or if you get one of them fancy Lear60's you can just fly right over it....:D

(and for all you technical freaks that feel the need to contradict everything, Yes I am aware that he may not be able to climb over that as it appears to be going Way, Way, up...) :p
Stone....

So not that you have been on the line 'per se' do you miss spending your nite in the soup? :sarcasm:
 
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