Tuesday, January 26, 2010

a clear day for flying - finally!




With one day of nice weather after weeks of rain I got to go to work. There is so much a pilot can do when the weather does not allow for flying. There is a ton of reading you can do! Ask your flight instructor if not sure what is relevant for your phase of training. Below I have an outline on how to get weather for your next flight.


Check out the sweet review mirror on the panel-ya gotta love the C150!

Ralph Butcher (www.skyroamers.com), had a great article a while back where he wrote an outline on weather information gathering, starting a week before your flight.

  1. Monitor the weather channel weekly planner :20 past the hour
  2. 48hr before check  48hr prog chart http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/progs/nav.php?current=4
  3. 36hrs before the 36hr prog chart http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/progs/nav.php?current=3
  4. 24 or 30hr before check the TAFs http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/tafs/
  5. 12hrs before check TAFs, 12 hr prog charts , Convective Outlooks
  6. Compare the  previous TAFs to the Metars. Are the METARs better or equal to the forecast? I love this step because around now you have a great picture and an idea if you will be going flying.
  7. Almost time! are the winds aloft  favorable to your flight, any PIREPs?
  8. Call Flight Service for a weather briefing. As for an outlook briefing if more than 6 hours or an abbreviated breifing when you are ready to go. They are meteorligists and can answer your questions or better yet affirm what you already know.
  9. In flight Contact Flight Watch on 122.0
Resources
FAA's pilot weather https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov
-Weather wise
-A pilot's guide to Flight Service