Vectored into CB

[astrodeb]

Hi folks,

Yesterday, during our descent into BWI, the captain came on the PA to tell us that we would definitely be experiencing turbulence on our approach and that the flight attendants should be seated immediately. I soon realized why when we broke through some cirrostratus into clear air and made a beeline toward a fully developed CB, hitting it mid-level. I was not the only passenger in full swear mode as the plane bucked and groaned for what seemed like a couple of minutes before breaking out of the madness. We then got a tour around Chesapeake Bay for about 15 minutes before circling under the CB to land with lightning out both windows. The captain explained during our Bay tour that ATC was causing the delays in our landing (and presumably also our less than safe choice of vectoring). As that one CB seemed relatively isolated at the time we hit it, I am wondering why he didn't "just say no" if ordered to fly through a cell - especially one with a full anvil and cauliflower towers on the side we hit. Yes, I know that it is a very busy airspace around Washington, and I am sure that alternates with nice weather were probably nil, but my confidence in the "safety first" culture was sorely shaken by the path we took when there seemed to be ample space around that monster.

[Di_Vosh]

The Love Doctor

Interesting reply...

what was no doubt a routine flight with a few bumps

Really? Were you also on that flight?

I wasn't there either, and if I were a pax I'm not sure if I could determine if the plane I was in had been vectored into a fully developed CB and then flew under it to land.

But if it was, that's a long way from being a routine flight with a few bumps.

I live in the same town as you and fly to regional Victoria and Tasmania. The BEST thing about flying through VIC is that IF there is thunderstorm activity that you have to avoid, it is generally only the ONE thunderstorm and not several; let alone a bank of the buggers. Further, the Thunderstorms that they get in the northern hemisphere make ours look like passing showers.

challenging the competency of a highly trained, professional flight crew

But you're not a highly trained, professional flight crew either. From your profile you've not got your ATPL yet.

If that's out of date, and you now ARE "a highly trained, professional flight crew", I'd be concerned about your attitude that flying through and under fully developed CB's is a "normal flight with a few bumps".

DIVOSH!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I cannot believe that ATC deliberately directed the aircraft into a Cb and I doubt that ATC was causing delays - it was the weather doing that! It's quite demanding for ATC in such weather conditions - one crew will carry on as normal whilst others will want to change their headings several times to avoid the weather. Many ATC radars do not show weather so controllers rely on pilot reports on the location of bad weather.

[grounded27]

when we broke through some cirrostratus into clear air and made a beeline toward a fully developed CB

It is not possible to determine this from a passenger window. More possible from the pilot's view and certainly determined by the on board weather radar. The fact that you are positing this is a testament to the good judgment of the flight crew...

[Lord Spandex Masher]

Not sure you'd have cirrostratus on an approach either!

[Basil]

I can believe it.
Flying a B747 into Sanford noted cb on approach to 09.
Requested land 27.
"Runway in use is 09!"
OK, give it a go. Result: Go around from 09 due inability to avoid cb AND land safely.
"Would you like 27?"
"Yes." (Thinks: 'WTF didn't you give it to us when we requested or didn't you notice a 'kin cb on finals?')

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Can you even begin to appreciate what asking for the other end of the runway entails for ground staff? At a major airport it can take 30 minutes or more.

[Basil]

HD, I've been in aviation since 1965 - including ATC.
Are you familiar with Sanford? It's a little place near Orlando. There was no other traffic around and the controller thought we'd fly through a cb on short finals.
He was not doing his job.

LHR, OTOH, has the best standard of ATC I have ever witnessed.

[BOAC]

It is the Captain's responsibility to avoid 'CBs', not ATC and we have to assume that he knowingly did not on this occasion. I have never allowed ATC to do that.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Basil.. bless you for your comments. No, I am nor familiar with that airfield so apologies.

[rmac]

I suspect more likely to have been a TCU than a CB, fairly easy to discern for a pax entering one, especially if scattered. Not likely to be in and out of a CB in "2 minutes" and quite likely to get a more exciting ride than a few bumps.

Still not a pleasant ride, I prefer to go around them, but in a busy zone there is often little choice and even in a light twin I have been vectored through them on a number of occasions.

[astrodeb]

While the cloud was probably topping out below FL300, it did have a developed anvil rather than just towering cumulus above the part we intercepted. I intended no insult to any flight crews. You folks have gotten me safely to my destinations for many years and can see inside with the radar what I can only guess from my seat. It was just a little disturbing to see us head into what most references say to avoid by 20+ nm. It was still better than that jet stream above northern Chile at FL350 a couple of nights ago!