Flying through Thunderstorms – Private Pilot Training Online
The old, grizzled pilot was asked, "How do I need to fly through thunderstorm that I could hardly avoid?"
The solution he needed to give was either, "You can't." or "Don't try."
Though the question would have to be answered. Here's his advice:
Related to the only method to inadvertently get into a thunderstorm is usually flying instruments in clouds with embedded thunderstorms and without either weather radar equipment onboard or ground-based weather radar open to your air traffic controller. Let's assume this is why Fate dealt you this type of poor hand.
The largest danger inside a thunderstorm is structural failure. Make an effort to: don't do anything that helps the thunderstorm tear your airplane to pieces. When you realize that you're in trouble, the very first thing to attempt is to try to slow down. I am talking about not just tomaneuvering speed but much slower than that. Slow as to the is known as 'slow cruise' - the rate the application of in holding patterns. This is fairly towards the best rate of climb airspeed on your airplane. Slow cruise is slow enough to reduce the adverse results of turbulence and fast enough a controls responsive. Consider putting your wheels down. This will help you stay slow. Most airplanes won't be as strong with flaps out, so avoid flaps unless there isn't a restriction against it with your pilot's handbook with the airplane.
The reason to slow down is that the higher your airspeed, the greater force turbulence can impart on your airplane. That destructive force comes in the form of lift. Remember that lift is proportional to the speed of the airplane squared. Slow is good. Too slow is not good simply because the last thing that you need is to stall and spin when you are in a thunderstorm.
There is an adage in aviation that says a pilot's priorities are aviate, navigate and
communicate, in that order. I agree. Certainly your most important task is to fly the
airplane. However, you need all the help you can get. So tell air traffic control (ATC)
that you are in trouble and need help. Ask them to vector you out of the thunderstorm. Tell them that you cannot maintain the assigned altitude - because you cannot. Ask them to vector you away from high terrain. Be aware that your inability to maintain
altitude can easily put you in a position where you cannot communicate with ATC for some period of time.
The intensity of rain in a thunderstorm can be truly phenomenal. Quite possibly your engine or engines can start to ingest a great deal of water. This water can turn to ice in your carburetor especially at high altitudes and low power settings. When you apply carburetor heat, the mixture enriches forcing you to lean the engine or risk fouling the spark plugs. Tuning the engine is an integral part of flying the airplane, your most important task.
The updrafts and downdrafts inside of a thunderstorm can far exceed an overall aviation airplane's ability to climb or dive. So just ride them out. Don't start building airspeed by pushing your nose all the way down to stay at your assigned altitude in a very strong updraft. Should you get caught in a very strong downdraft, see your best rate of climb airspeed at full power. You will still decrease - just not as fast without so far. When the downdraft subsides, you are going to start climbing to your assigned altitude. When you've got oxygen and perhaps unless you, ask ATC for just a higher altitude so that you can have a greater margin of safety once you enter your next overpowering downdraft. If ATC don't grant that you simply higher altitude, do not be afraid to declare an urgent situation and tell ATC that you'll be visiting a higher altitude.
There's two items that you sould never forget here. First, if for example the FAA issues a violation, it is far better to argue in the court that you needed that higher altitude compared to have the surviving individuals your loved ones argue in court of the fact that FAA needs cleared you to definitely a greater altitude. Second, when you are high without oxygen, you obtain so stupid you don't know how stupid you will be. Having said that, when you're at 10,000 feet facing 12,000 feet peaks plus a known thunderstorm behind you, the options commence to narrow. Personally, it is far better to manage hypoxia than certain death.
With that said: Plan your fight and view your weather well enough to learn that you don't seem to be entering a thunderstorm.
If, by some fluke of nature, you end up in a thunderstorm that was not predicted and you could not see, then
2. Remember that flying the airplane is your most important task.
3. Get out of the thunderstorm as quickly as possible.
4. Keep going straight with wings level while you ride out overpowering up and downdrafts.
Doug Daniel, long time flight instructor, invites you to visit http://PrivatePilotTrainingOnline.org for more flying articles like this one. You may also feel free to contact Doug by visiting his website.