Flying IMC without a weather radar

[arvida]

hi,

I actually fly a corporate PA-31 and the weather radar (RF-131A) have some defects. Cost around 5000$ bucks to repair it.

Is it worth the hassle to repair it??? With a private aircraft here you don't need a radar by the law to fly IMC, so my rule is to not fly when there's TCU's above 25 000ft (I fly in the north so it's rarely common).

If we repair it a lot of people told me that those radar needs repairs quite often.

From which altitude a cloud is considered ``dangerous to enter``?? Most of people I spoke with told me 27 000ft.
What's your opinion???

[blind pew]

All altitudes

[galaxy flyer]

In northern latitudes, the tropopause is lower, so a storm rising to 25,000 might be the equal of one topping 45,000' in Florida. It's hard to make hard and fast rules like you're trying to do. I've seen some big storms in Ontario.

GF

[Good Business Sense]

Arvida,

You need to do a lot of reading - altitude has nothing to do with the threats from a thunderstorm.

Best
GBS

[galaxy flyer]

And having once gotten a nasty lightning strike and small hail from a storm that didn't top FL120 near Ramstein, Germany, I know whereof he speaks.

GF

[sevenstrokeroll]

wow...learn the appearance of clouds and avoid the ones conducive to thunderstorms...I think you should invest in a small book called: the field guide to weather.

check wx forecasts and if there are t storms forecast, you better stay out of the clouds of signifcant vertical development.

its all about money...get the thing fixed or limit your flying accordingly.

[Trim Stab]

I fly a lot with non-radar aircraft.

I try to remain VMC at all times. I only go IMC if I ams sure there are no TCs about. At all costs, avoid going IMC into an area where the forecasts show isolated embedded cunims.

[7AC]

What model of radar is it? Maybe if you spent the $5000 towards a good second-hand radar you might do better. Otherwise just fasten your seatbelts!!!

[Pace]

Radar or no radar you should interpret what you see with your eyes examine the cloud structures ahead, try to avoid the tall bits and choose the valleys. Look beyond etc
Its a blend of radar and using your eyes and experience.
No radar its all eyes and experience.

Pace

[what next]

No radar its all eyes and experience.

Sometimes it helps, sometimes it dosen't:
Scott Crossfield Crash: NTSB Early Report (http://www.avweb.com/news/features/192130-1.html)

[Mister Warning]

One peep is worth a thousand sweeps :ok: