Flying in bad weather, tips and techniques for safety
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Germany
My CPL(H) training was in winter time and therefore i had a good portion of bad weather back then and lots of opportunities to fly in them.
One of the exercises was to fly just below the ceiling where the blades are already in the clouds (and i mean only the blades - a B206 in this case). This was not to educate this type of flying but merely to add it to your portfolio of tools you have at hand when being confronted with such a situation.
Whenever you have a clearly defined ceiling it is not a problem as vis is usually high then just below the ceiling. The problem starts with a warm front closing in and everything just gets grey around you.
As mentioned a couple of times: Always have a plan B and know where to go just in case. And if it stars to worsen beyond your personal limit, just put it down in a field. That's why we fly helicopters.
I'd be rather willing to sort out/explain why i did land where i did than becoming a part of the statistics.
One of the exercises was to fly just below the ceiling where the blades are already in the clouds (and i mean only the blades - a B206 in this case). This was not to educate this type of flying but merely to add it to your portfolio of tools you have at hand when being confronted with such a situation.
Whenever you have a clearly defined ceiling it is not a problem as vis is usually high then just below the ceiling. The problem starts with a warm front closing in and everything just gets grey around you.
As mentioned a couple of times: Always have a plan B and know where to go just in case. And if it stars to worsen beyond your personal limit, just put it down in a field. That's why we fly helicopters.
I'd be rather willing to sort out/explain why i did land where i did than becoming a part of the statistics.
Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
Ready to fly - bumbling along in the cloud base is dangerous for many reasons: you are very difficult to see from other aircraft who might be in the area, it only takes a slight updraught and you are IIMC, your only escape route is down since a 180 turn runs more risk of IIMC and if anyone is letting down through the bad weather, you won't see them and vice versa until the very last second.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: uk
If in doubt you've already hit your limit. Land, shut down get out and have a fag find the farmer and ask "do you mind if i leave this here old boy" and you'll probably get offered a bed for the night ready to try again the next day.
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Joined: Nov 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,753
Likes: 66
From: Alles über die platz
There are a few things of concern here, however the one for me that sticks out most is;
Think about it...
If the weather is getting to your limits try to "handrail" known easilly followed features, roads,rail coast etc.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Abroad
Two rules that have stood me in good stead for a number of years:
1. Always make sure that you can either stop or turn around easily in the distance that you can see in front of you.
2. When flying close to a non stratiform cloudbase, if the cloud a distance away appears to move further down the windshield as you get closer, you are going to go into it. Unless you are equipped, trained, prepared and allowed to go into said cloud - refer to rule 1.
1. Always make sure that you can either stop or turn around easily in the distance that you can see in front of you.
2. When flying close to a non stratiform cloudbase, if the cloud a distance away appears to move further down the windshield as you get closer, you are going to go into it. Unless you are equipped, trained, prepared and allowed to go into said cloud - refer to rule 1.
