When I started my career many years ago as a corporate pilot, I would fly with other full time captains of private jets to gain experience and exposure to the corporate flying world. This help me immensely in the beginning of my career understanding weather for safe flying. On one of these flights, I was helping a captain take a small business jet up from Miami to Orlando in Florida.
For those of you who’ve lived in or visited Florida you will know that that state can be one of the most vicious in terms of thunderstorms and lightning in the world. Meanwhile, the flight time from Miami to Orlando was less than an hour and the captain only put enough fuel on to do that flight. Consequently, what he didn’t plan for was the line of thunderstorms that was building up and down the the entire span of the state.
After we took off we were immediately enveloped in dark clouds. Heavy water droplets pounded the windshield and even with headphones on, I could barely hear the radio. The winds moved our little jet around like it was a toy. I could see the nervousness from the captain. I myself was nervous being young and somewhat inexperienced at the time. Furthermore, we ended up having to fly hundreds of miles around these storms tic-tac’ing our way through them all the way up to Orlando. All of these added diversions was burning up fuel. We finally approached our airport to land but the airplane was very low, dangerously low on gas. We were so low on gas that by the time we taxied in to parking, the fuel low level lights were illuminated. Thankfully we landed without event but the lack of planning by the captain prevented me from the flying with him again. This is why I learned that understanding weather for safe flying was key for my career going forward.
Weather Basics
Knowledge is power. Hence, understanding weather will not only help you fly as a passenger more confidently, but also help you understand what the airplane is doing. Weather is always trying to balance itself out. The one element that causes all weather is heat exchange.
If you think of what generates that heat the most, it’s the sun. The hotter air gets, the more those molecules move around. If you heat the ground, that air will rise. If the terrain is mountainous the air rising will be unstable and thus you have a turbulent ride. Mix this rising, unstable air with moisture and we have a recipe for thunderstorms. You have to respect nature.
The Importance of Weather Knowledge
As a pilot, respecting and understanding weather patterns is non-negotiable. It can mean the difference between a routine flight and a near-disaster. We pilots train often, consistently, and with dedication to always plan for the unexpected, and never underestimate the power of a storm. As a passenger, you need to trust your pilots, the training, and capabilities of the aircraft. My experience on that stormy flight from Miami to Orlando taught me invaluable lessons that I carry with me to this day. Fly safe, respect nature, and always be prepared.
Safe Travels – The Nomad Pilot
