Learn to Fly

Weather

WEATHER

Flying In the Deep Freeze

Since it’s January, and I happen to be in northern New Jersey where evening temperatures have been dropping…

⏱ 6 min read
WEATHER

The Nights Can Still Be Cold: The Avionics Warm-up

You've probably already read my call to watch your tires and preheat your engine when the temperature gets…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I have a hard time trying to think of something good to say about stationary fronts. They not…

⏱ 6 min read
WEATHER

The Quickening

Winter's coming (or here), and that means ice. If you were merrily motoring along and suddenly noticed ice…

⏱ 5 min read
WEATHER

Headwinds — Watch Em’ or Pay

If you've read my work here, you know that I respect Mother Nature. She is the force that…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Summer’s Here! Hailing Season is OPEN!

I remember the old "Star Trek" series, in which the communications officer would utter those famous words as…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Winter Ops And Your Engine

If you live in the northern climes -- specifically where the outside air temperature dips below the freezing…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Categorical Outlook Flying

The "categorical outlook" is a very general description of ceiling and visibility conditions contained in the Area Forecast.…

⏱ 4 min read
WEATHER

Line of Storms

The weather briefer told me there'd be 'nothing' between me and home for the 2.5 hour flight --…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Near Miss

I was in the right seat of a Beech Baron over Hutchinson, Kansas. KHUT is a sleepy little…

⏱ 4 min read
WEATHER

Lies My ATIS Told Me

When you get right down to it precise knowledge of local weather is the one critical determinant as…

⏱ 7 min read
WEATHER

When Weather Lies

It was a cloudless, hazy morning when the Cessna Skylane pilot preflighted for a hundred-mile business trip.

⏱ 5 min read
WEATHER

Over, Under, Around or Through

Who’s the wisest pilot -- the one who flies below the clouds, the one who flies above them,…

⏱ 5 min read
WEATHER

Clouded Thoughts: Thinking like an Instrument Pilot

Flying in the clouds may be the most demanding of pilot skills, but does flying IFR stretch a…

⏱ 5 min read
WEATHER

‘Thunderstorms and Flying’ Goes Online

Knowledge is power in many of life's callings, but especially so in aviation -- our welfare often depends…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Measuring Thin Air

In the near future using barometric pressure to determine altitude will be a thing of the past, but…

⏱ 4 min read
WEATHER

In-Flight Ice – A Killer With NO Remorse

It could happen to you at any time and, from the moment the ice begins to form, your…

⏱ 4 min read
WEATHER

IFR, or, The Continuous Correction of Your Own Mistakes

How many times have you stared at the display of your lightning detection equipment, and questioned whether it…

⏱ 4 min read
WEATHER

Coriolis Who?!

Why a hurricane and bathwater always spins counter-clockwise ... er, one of those, anyway.

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Running Scud — Safely

'VFR Flight Not Recommended....' How often have you driven instead of flown, only to fume the entire way…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

The Highest Clouds

Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know: Chances are that if some nine year-old asks you just how high…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

In A Dead Run, Ahead Of The Storm

Lightning flashed and torrential rain blew in sheets as the 747-400 lined up for takeoff.

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

The Problem With Being Cold…

Old Man Winter is here, and he’s brought his little bag of tricks with him -- here are…

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

The Ice Man Cometh, The Iced Plane Falleth

It’s time to watch the Outside Air Temperature Gauge and determine your altitudes based less on winds and…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Wind: A Real Lesson for Real Pilots

A good pilot customarily calculates a ground speed, duration and estimated fuel burn before each flight -- all…

⏱ 3 min read
WEATHER

Icing Conditions and Staying Alive

Ice is the last great unknown in instrument flight -- although wide areas of suspected icing conditions may…

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

PIREPS: The Fabric of Our Society

One of the most critical aspects of flying cross-country is dealing with the weather, but almost all the…

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

Bad Weather, Good Approach

'ATIS Information Bravo, 1150Z: Sky condition 300 overcast, visibility one and one-half miles, light rain and mist...'

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

One Man’s Mole Hill…

The FAA has standard turbulence reporting criteria, but there is a problem.

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

VFR, Fog and Survival

There have been numerous fatalities in fog related accidents recently and far fewer survivors.

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

iPilot Rumor Mill: Weather Trends

A weather observer writes in to say that the FAA is kicking his kind out -- and warns…

⏱ 1 min read
WEATHER

How to Predict Thunderstorms … Better

It seems that, in the summer, the Flight Service Station weather briefers always hedge their bets by adding…

⏱ 2 min read
WEATHER

Any Wind is a Headwind

It does seem logical that a 10-knot tailwind on the way back will 'pay you back' for the…

⏱ 2 min read