Weather avoidance rule of thumb from the more experienced
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: Everywhere
Weather avoidance rule of thumb from the more experienced
Very good day all,
I am a Pilot on the A320, with roughly 2500 hours.
I have been exposed to weather naturally, but nothing drastic where it lead to a diversion from destination, or something that was entirely unavoidable.
I've read alot of material online, the material on our company manuals with lateral separation, vertical separation, use of weather radar, etc.
Are there any rule of thumbs that the more experienced can contribute with when total avoidance is absolutely not possible or means a turn back, and penetration from the least "reflective" or greener parts of the thunderstorm is the only option.
Generally at high altitudes I have seen most captains wary more of large thunderstorms than at lower altitudes closer to aerodrome. Flying through a yellow cell at high altitude vs at lower for example.
I have also seen that sometimes the weather radar at 4000 feet shows large areas of red reflections, but it had only been rain.
Id really appreciate any helpful guidelines that other colleagues find helpful with regards to weather avoidance, when it would be a good idea to take up a hold and wait for the storm to pass, etc.
Any rule of thumb with temperature in the area of the thunderstorm as an indication, etc.
Also flew with a colleague that said that if the base of the CB was low he would be more wary penetrating through it during approach.
Please bare with me on what seems like a silly question, but having not been exposed to much, i'd love some feedback from other colleagues.
I am a Pilot on the A320, with roughly 2500 hours.
I have been exposed to weather naturally, but nothing drastic where it lead to a diversion from destination, or something that was entirely unavoidable.
I've read alot of material online, the material on our company manuals with lateral separation, vertical separation, use of weather radar, etc.
Are there any rule of thumbs that the more experienced can contribute with when total avoidance is absolutely not possible or means a turn back, and penetration from the least "reflective" or greener parts of the thunderstorm is the only option.
Generally at high altitudes I have seen most captains wary more of large thunderstorms than at lower altitudes closer to aerodrome. Flying through a yellow cell at high altitude vs at lower for example.
I have also seen that sometimes the weather radar at 4000 feet shows large areas of red reflections, but it had only been rain.
Id really appreciate any helpful guidelines that other colleagues find helpful with regards to weather avoidance, when it would be a good idea to take up a hold and wait for the storm to pass, etc.
Any rule of thumb with temperature in the area of the thunderstorm as an indication, etc.
Also flew with a colleague that said that if the base of the CB was low he would be more wary penetrating through it during approach.
Please bare with me on what seems like a silly question, but having not been exposed to much, i'd love some feedback from other colleagues.
Joined: Mar 2008
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 345
Likes: 38
From: Lander, WY, USA
Archie Trammell has a radar course that has been the gold standard for years, A Google search, and/or search of this forum will turn up lots of links to radar courses. Here's the web link to Trammell's current material,
Home - Radar Training Systems (radar4pilots.com). There used to be videos, with Archie narrating (he was a radar expert, not a trained actor/narrator, he passed away a few years back), but it looks like now the material is digital text and quick-reference manual. There are other radar courses/learning materials available as well, but I'd bet 9 out of 10 experienced posters on this forum will mention Archie Trammell. (Just a suggestion, I'm not trying to be a smarta$$, there's just too many factors, height of storm, temperatures, precipitation gradients, cell-shapes, etc,, to list a few simple rules of thumb.)
Home - Radar Training Systems (radar4pilots.com). There used to be videos, with Archie narrating (he was a radar expert, not a trained actor/narrator, he passed away a few years back), but it looks like now the material is digital text and quick-reference manual. There are other radar courses/learning materials available as well, but I'd bet 9 out of 10 experienced posters on this forum will mention Archie Trammell. (Just a suggestion, I'm not trying to be a smarta$$, there's just too many factors, height of storm, temperatures, precipitation gradients, cell-shapes, etc,, to list a few simple rules of thumb.)
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,766
Likes: 4
From: Here and there
It is not a silly question and it is an area that is very poorly taught to new pilots .Airbus published this a while ago.Also try and get the manufacturers handbook for your aircraft radar.
https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/optim...weather-radar/
https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/optim...weather-radar/
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: Everywhere
Archie Trammell has a radar course that has been the gold standard for years, A Google search, and/or search of this forum will turn up lots of links to radar courses. Here's the web link to Trammell's current material,
There used to be videos, with Archie narrating (he was a radar expert, not a trained actor/narrator, he passed away a few years back), but it looks like now the material is digital text and quick-reference manual. There are other radar courses/learning materials available as well, but I'd bet 9 out of 10 experienced posters on this forum will mention Archie Trammell. (Just a suggestion, I'm not trying to be a smarta$$, there's just too many factors, height of storm, temperatures, precipitation gradients, cell-shapes, etc,, to list a few simple rules of thumb.)
There used to be videos, with Archie narrating (he was a radar expert, not a trained actor/narrator, he passed away a few years back), but it looks like now the material is digital text and quick-reference manual. There are other radar courses/learning materials available as well, but I'd bet 9 out of 10 experienced posters on this forum will mention Archie Trammell. (Just a suggestion, I'm not trying to be a smarta$$, there's just too many factors, height of storm, temperatures, precipitation gradients, cell-shapes, etc,, to list a few simple rules of thumb.)
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: Everywhere
Thank you! Absolutely agreed.
To be honest I fly with Captains that deviate all the way around a thunderstorm even if we could penetrate through a gap, or through a less reflective part (green part on ND), and some that just fly right through with minimal deviation.
Better safe Ofcourse. Thanks for the input
