Whats the worst conditions for PPL Flying?
Down here in Oz all sorts of weather conditions could cause problems - from snow and icing in the south (and in the case of icing, not only in the south), to tropical cyclones in the north.
Other problems can include bushfire smoke, which is not uncommon in the tropics during the dry season (winter).
Unexpected loss of visibility can be unnerving. Several years ago I departed the outback town of Coober Pedy on a crystal clear winter morning only to be forced down onto an uncharted strip about an hour later because of low cloud enveloping me from all directions. Ended up pitching the tents and spending the night there - miles from civilisation!
In some parts of Oz conditions can change dramatically quite quickly, so it pays to read TAFs and ARFORs very carefully.
However I reckon the worst possible conditions are not those which cause you to lose visibility, but control of the aircraft. I've already had some unpleasant rides in mountain waves - feeling that I had very limited control over what the aircraft was doing. I also wouldn't fancy being slammed into the ground by a microburst, and therefore give all storms a very wide berth.
Despite all of the above, most parts of Australia enjoy pretty good flying conditions most of the time.
Other problems can include bushfire smoke, which is not uncommon in the tropics during the dry season (winter).
Unexpected loss of visibility can be unnerving. Several years ago I departed the outback town of Coober Pedy on a crystal clear winter morning only to be forced down onto an uncharted strip about an hour later because of low cloud enveloping me from all directions. Ended up pitching the tents and spending the night there - miles from civilisation!
In some parts of Oz conditions can change dramatically quite quickly, so it pays to read TAFs and ARFORs very carefully.
However I reckon the worst possible conditions are not those which cause you to lose visibility, but control of the aircraft. I've already had some unpleasant rides in mountain waves - feeling that I had very limited control over what the aircraft was doing. I also wouldn't fancy being slammed into the ground by a microburst, and therefore give all storms a very wide berth.
Despite all of the above, most parts of Australia enjoy pretty good flying conditions most of the time.
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Hi On Track... I very much appreciate your comments as I've been seeking this info on Austrlian conditions in another thread in the "Dunnanda + Godzone" forums.
Good point re- mountain waves... I have only once experienced extreme turbulence, crossing the Pyrennees on the way into Spain from southern France, and it was absolutely awful and not something I'm looking forward to more of. Yes, losing control in that way is horrible, but whether I could choose either this or loss of vis. as worst? Not sure I can!
Good point re- mountain waves... I have only once experienced extreme turbulence, crossing the Pyrennees on the way into Spain from southern France, and it was absolutely awful and not something I'm looking forward to more of. Yes, losing control in that way is horrible, but whether I could choose either this or loss of vis. as worst? Not sure I can!
Although this question was raised in the context of PPL training I find it quite difficult even as a reasonably experienced PPL. For the last month or so I have been trying to fly some friends from the south coast up to the Midlands and, on the three attempts so far, I have had similar weather forecasts along the route which include things like TEMPO 7000 SH RA SCT 013. This very morning was the last occasion where the Low Level Briefing looks reasonable (25Km NIL weather 5 - 8/8 3000') but TAF's along the route are full of the above TEMPO's.
Because my friends want to actually get there, while I would be happy with the flying even if I had turned back, I decided not to go.
Now I will spend all day at my desk looking at the local weather wondering if I made the right decision. At the moment I did as it's overcast at about 1200'. (The sun's broken through since I wrote that so now I'm not so sure
)
Everyone tells me that you can go around the showers but that's OK if you know how big they are going to be.
I know that my cautious (timid) approach is safe but it is very frustrating. Does anyone have any golden rules how to judge the likely size of showers especially when there is no probability given?
Because my friends want to actually get there, while I would be happy with the flying even if I had turned back, I decided not to go.
Now I will spend all day at my desk looking at the local weather wondering if I made the right decision. At the moment I did as it's overcast at about 1200'. (The sun's broken through since I wrote that so now I'm not so sure
)Everyone tells me that you can go around the showers but that's OK if you know how big they are going to be.
I know that my cautious (timid) approach is safe but it is very frustrating. Does anyone have any golden rules how to judge the likely size of showers especially when there is no probability given?
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Yes its difficult to judge how "isolated" are the showers - weather radar helps a lot if you're prepared to pay for a subscription. I am just debating with myself whether the new MetOffice sub at I think £56 is worth paying to get this... probably? I think AvBrief also offer this...
... and even better, speak to a forecaster with lots of information at his finger-tips. Its not very expensive to call the premium-rate phone service offered e.g. by Flying High - I've used the service a few times and while not totally foolproof, its certainly helped me a lot to make some go / no-go decisions such as this.
... and even better, speak to a forecaster with lots of information at his finger-tips. Its not very expensive to call the premium-rate phone service offered e.g. by Flying High - I've used the service a few times and while not totally foolproof, its certainly helped me a lot to make some go / no-go decisions such as this.
Last edited by Aussie Andy; 6th Sep 2002 at 08:48.
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It sounds to me like you made the right choice. I haven't seen the TAFs, but from your description of TEMPO RASH, I'd say that it's safe to fly, but you'd have to be prepared to possibly not reach your destination. If you friends need to be somewhere, flying with that kind of forecast is not the way to get them there.
There are plenty of stories about get-there-itis out there on the web. I don't like reading them, and I certainly don't want to be the one writing them.
FFF
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There are plenty of stories about get-there-itis out there on the web. I don't like reading them, and I certainly don't want to be the one writing them.
FFF
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