21018g38kt 3000 +shra Tsra Bkn010cb - Why?

[J.A.F.O.]

Today - JAFO at work - CAVOK

Tomorrow - JAFO not at work - 21018G38KT 3000 +SHRA TSRA BKN010CB

The weather Gods are undoubtedly conspiring against me. How is a guy supposed to improve, or even stay current when this happens to him all the time?

I've managed to arrange time off, kids at school, money in bank and aircraft available to coincide so this happens.

It's not often I get the time off.

It's not often I don't have family commitments.

God knows it's not often that I have money in the bank.

It's just not fair. :{ :{ :{

[Fuji Abound]

I would not give up all hope.

These sort of forecasts understandably put us all off BUT may not prevent some local flying and a circuit or two.

Depending on your experience, aircraft and runway heading the wind is not too much of a problem particularly if the upper limit of the gusts does not materialise. More often than not the upper limit will abate or increase during the day so if you are prepared to wait the wind is unlikely to prevent flying.

3,000 metres I agree isnt great but will only occur in the showers and the base is likely to be acceptable for some circuit work if you just feel like getting airborne.

CBs are always a problem but perhaps they will be well defined and without any significant activity.

In short some of the most enjoyable flying can be had on these sort of days. Just last Sunday my local airport was giving a strong wind warning all day with gusts to 30 knots, showers and poor viz. The maximum gusts throughout the day were 28 knots but the wind had abated greatly by the afternoon. In any event it was only 30 degrees off, from the south so I expected and found no turbulence. The showers barely materialized, the base was a good 800 feet better than forecast and nearly everyone else stayed away so the sky was pleasantly quite.

Of course if you are not completely happy don’t go! .. .. .. And then again maybe one of the local instructors is happy to sit right seat with you. If he is it will broaden your experience and you will still get something out of the day.

[J.A.F.O.]

You know what, Fuji? You might just be right.

Disengage Eeyore mode.

[A and C]

The weather always seems to be better when you are at work. I found it most frustrating when I was doing my PPL I had 32 Yes 32 ! X-C details CANX due weather that took up most of the summer and then I did three solo X-C flights between xmas and new year.

[IO540]

Relax - it can only get better than this :O

In my PPL training, I booked a lesson for every day Oct Nov Dec. I flew 3 times in those 3 months!

[Fuji Abound]

Well - did you?

At my local the TAF was very similiar but I kept an eye on the actuals during the day - 22 knots was the most I saw, with much of the day sct at 1,000 overcast at 4,500. Certainly flyable, although you would not have thought so from the morning TAF - and I see a few did, fly that is.

Not suggesting it was the day to go far mind you, you never know the TAF might just have proved correct by the time you wanted to come back!

Wish I had done a circuit or two myself ;)

[J.A.F.O.]

Well, no.

It wasn't very nice but it never actually got as bad as the TAF. I could've flown and, thanks to you, that's a very important change of mindset for me. However, I'm typing this sat at my desk at work, so events overtook things anyway.

Thanks for the words of wisdom, Fuji.

The original post really wasn't really meant as a WHY ME WHINE, I know it happens all the time. The main point was that when you're hiring from a club, working, helping look after the family and waiting for the weather to clear you really do have to be motivated to actually stay current - that was never in the flying club sales brochure.

Before I got my licence I read comments from people who were thinking of giving up flying and struggling to stay current or just think of a reason to fly anymore. I thought that it could never happen to me, and it hasn't yet, but you've got to watch yourself.

[foxmoth]

wasn't really meant as a WHY ME WHINE, I know it happens all the time.

This is aviation I am afraid. If you have the time and the money the wx will be bad, if the wx is good the runway will be waterlogged,if you are on a hard runway your instructor will be ill and the others booked up, if you don't need an instructor the aircraft will go tech!:{

[3 Point]

JAFO,

Never give up hope! I departed LHR on Sunday with the destination weather 200m BR VV001, no forecast improvement and the ILS NOTAMed out of service (optimistic you might say). By the time I arrived overhead the destination (41/2 hours later) it was 10Km, I could see the airport from 10,000' overhead and the ILS was back in service!

Sometimes the gods are on your side:D

3 Point

[Whirlygig]

One of my instructors had a little aphorism

"Happiness is a two-inch TAF"

Obviously not in your case J.A.F.O.! Sorry!

Cheers

Whirls

[J.A.F.O.]

Cheers Whirls

Anything more than one line on the TAF decodes as stay at home, JAFO.

Like Thursday:

TEMPO 0007 19015G26KT TEMPO 0217 7000 SHRA RA PROB40 TEMPO 0317 3000 +SHRA BKN014CB BECMG 0710 19022G37KT TEMPO 1018 20026G46KT

Still, at least they don't mention plagues of frogs or outbreaks of boils (that's PF and OB, I believe).

Whilst I put as much store in Met men as I do astrologers I'll have to re-engage Eeyore mode I think.

And you'll notice I studiously avoided all references to being satisfied with two inches.

[B Fraser]

"Happiness is a two-inch TAF"

Welsh girls are easily pleased !

sorry couldn't resist...I'll slope off back to JB

Just checked the current Wx which reminds me of one night shift where I wrote a commentary along the lines of "deepening low 946mb in Fastnet, chart looks like a zebra's arsehole" Cue one meeting with the boss sans tea or biccies.

[Timothy]

I guess I might put some contingency fuel on board for my flight from Cumbernauld to Biggin this afternoon. :{

55kts on the nose, huh? :rolleyes:

[J.A.F.O.]

Just thought I'd let you all know that I'm working today, so you should be safe. :p

Oh, and I'm booked up all weekend and, though I'm free on Monday, the club's closed; so if you want to go somewhere and make a long weekend of it... :ok: