Thunderstorm avoidance

adreamer

adreamer

Well-Known Member
Well, I am in ATP 90 days program and in the middle of cross country phase. I have spent part of cross country time for deviation due to thuderstorm. Sometimes, I felt like that I am chicken out. Here is the question.
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Does radar echoes accurately reflect the intensity of thunderstorm? How far, distance wise, do you fly away from those build ups?
 
Radar echoes mainly show precipitation. They don't show wind shear or wind velocity. Odds are, if there's heavy precip, then the winds are gonna be rough. However, if there's light precip, that doesn't mean that everything is cool. The AIM says 20 nm to avoid a t-storm, but it's actually more of a judgement call. If you tried to split t-storms 20 nm on a side in FL, you'd have to go to another state to get around them.
 
Every professional pilot needs to get training on use of weather radar. Thunderstorms and windshear are the primary hazards you will face as a line pilot. It is an area that is woefully inadequate as far as training. These are not things for you to "learn on the line."

Read Dennis Newton's book Severe Weather Flying

Then take a radar course, either Gwinn's or Trammel's, preferably both.
courses

Just because the FAA doesn't think it's important doesn't mean it isn't. And if you think you are going to learn it by watching your captain you are in for some wild and dangerous rides.
 
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