When learning to become a professional pilot, you have to learn how to deal with all kinds of weather conditions. Weather can dramatically change how you fly or even prompt you to call off a flight, so it’s crucial to get a solid understanding of weather conditions early in your aviation journey.
At American Winds, we give our students thorough training on how to deal with all types of inclement weather so they can confidently handle in-flight emergencies. Our weather training is multifaceted and involves familiarizing students with general meteorology as well as reports, forecasts, and protocols. In this article, we’ll give you a summary of our training to give you a basic understanding of the relationship between weather and flying.
Key Weather Terminology for Pilots
To make sure that they understand each other clearly and succinctly, all pilots use the same weather terminology and work with the same types of meteorological information. Here are some of the main reports and advisories that pilots work with on a regular basis:
METAR (Meteorological Aerodrome Report)
METARs, also called Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Reports, transmit real-time weather information including general weather conditions, wind, visibility, and temperature. Every METAR follows the same format so that all pilots can quickly and easily read them. Once you learn how to read a METAR, you’ll be able to get crucial information for any location within a matter of seconds.
TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast)
TAFs predict weather conditions for specific airports. TAFs are commonly used in tandem with METARs to get a more complete picture of what the weather will look like for any given flight. TAFs are also coded and formatted like METARs, so it’s easy to read one if you know how to read the other. Most TAFs are valid for 24 hours, though some airports do produce 30-hour TAFs.
AIRMET (Airmen’s Meteorological Information)
AIRMETs communicate moderate weather conditions that could affect aircraft safety. Pilots refer to AIRMETs to get information about turbulence, icing, and visibility. It’s important to keep in mind that the issuance of an AIRMET doesn’t necessarily force pilots to stay grounded.
SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Information)
SIGMETs are similar to AIRMETs but cover more severe weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, cyclones, mountain waves, and volcanic ash. SIGMETs are more likely to significantly affect all aircraft and can prompt delays and cancellations.
PIREP (Pilot Report)
PIREPs are descriptions of actual weather conditions as encountered by aircraft in flight. Because PIREPs are quickly relayed, they’re often the most accurate forms of weather reports available.
How Weather Impacts Flight Operations
It’s critical to understand that the impact of weather on flight is dynamic and always changing. With that in mind, here are some guidelines to help you understand how different types of weather affect flight operations.
Wind and Turbulence
Understanding turbulence is an absolutely critical step in becoming a confident pilot. Typically, turbulence will force pilots to make smooth, sudden control adjustments to maintain flight stability. Knowing how to make seamless altitude, speed, or course adjustments is key to dealing with turbulence well.
Fog and Low Visibility
Conditions like fog and mist tend to result in reduced visibility. If pilots experience extreme cases of low visibility, they’ll be forced to rely on their instruments. However, this is fairly safe – landing in fog is usually trickier than flying in it. Safe landing in low visibility conditions requires slower speeds and carefully navigating turnings.
Thunderstorms and Lightning
Thunderstorms are some of the most dangerous weather phenomena for aircraft. They typically cause delays for grounded planes as it’s best to wait to fly until the storm has passed. If an aircraft that’s already in flight encounters a thunderstorm, the pilot will communicate with air traffic controllers to avoid the storm or make an alternative landing. (Lightning is less of an issue, but it’s still something pilots should watch out for.)
Temperature and Pressure Systems
Air density and temperature can often affect everything from airspeed to climb rates. In most cases, extreme heat is more dangerous than extreme cold. Hotter temperatures and lower pressure reduce lift, requiring higher airspeed and longer takeoffs. By stark contrast, colder temperatures and higher pressure increase lift and actually help planes perform better.
Microbursts and Downbursts
Microbursts and downbursts both refer to violent downdrafts that are typically localized within thunderstorms. These bursts create extreme downward wind shear that causes sharp losses of altitude, forcing pilots to quickly adjust. Both microbursts and downbursts can occur suddenly without warning, and when they’re extreme enough, they can drive planes into the ground. Pilots should keep an eye out for visual signs and work with alert and radar systems to avoid these downdrafts.
Choose American Winds for Your Flight Training
At American Winds, we give you hands-on training to help you master all types of flying conditions. If you’re interested in learning more about our flight programs, reach out to us to get more information.
