Originally Posted by
Onceapilot
Just to reinforce for anyone who is unaware, CB's (CumuloNimbus, Thunderstorms, embedded Thunderstorms etc ) routinely include Severe turbulence that can destroy an Airliner. Severe turbulence is automatically assumed within a thunderstorm. For this reason, Airliners are not allowed to operate within known Severe turbulence, must avoid it where forecast and, must avoid Thunderstorms (by 10Nm per 10,000 feet of vertical extent). Additionally, airliners are not allowed to operate without weather radar where severe turbulence or TS are forecast or observed- because flying into one could cause loss of the aircraft and, the aircraft must be able to detect and avoid embedded TS. Personally, I do not see how a known inflexible ATC environment that denies deviations can satisfy the requirements of the aircraft operating limitations (and so, certification).
Ok, so how did my and hundreds of other flights fly over portugal on Friday when severe turbulence was forecast on the Signet maps? Same for the area west of Dublin? Planes from western airlines routinely fly into Jetstream related forecast severe turbulence. Something I've often wondered about actually as I thought what you said is true.