Originally Posted by IO540
Did a pre flight, took off by the time I was at 500 feet I saw all the clouds nearing in, next minute I was in the middle of the whole lot. It was as if someone put the duvet over the aircraft.
suggests that a big improvement in preflight (weather) planning is called for.
Actually it doesn't. It means that, just occasionally (and it has happened to me) weather forecasters get it
wrong.
I reached for the GPS in the rear, turned it on
It should have been ON the whole time, checked for satellite reception before starting the taxi. Do you push start your car, and use the starter motor only when too tired or when parked uphill?
Oh for F*CKS sake!
Some people like to fly without GPS, some people like to look out the window, some people like to use a map occasionally. Flying isn't
JUST about switching on all the gadgets and following the lines. Sometimes it's just nice to get out there and play, getting away for the world about you and doing things which others would give their eye teeth for. Sometimes it's just about tipping your wing into a cloud, flying some simple aero's, imagining you're something, somebody or somewhere else.
There are times when the GPS comments get really tiresome Peter - give it a break
PLEASE!
(And can I also suggest a gliding course where Mountain Wave activity is coupled with hills and mountains - you'll garner a whole new respect for flying in such areas close to the surface).