Dave@sri-unix (06/30/82)
Richard Collins has a lot to say about thunderstorms in his book Flying IFR. Here are some points I learned from him and from my instrument instructor: 1. Don't be afraid to ask Center where the storms are. That's what they've got radar for. If you don't get the information you want, ask again. Try to make your questions specific, e.g. "Are there any storms showing south of me?" 2. Thunderstorms don't begin until about 3000 to 4000 feet AGL. Some pilots believe that flying low will help avoid much of the turbulence. 3. There's a big difference between reports of scattered thunderstorms and a line of embedded ones. Scattered storms can be seen (assuming you're not in cloud) and you can request a deviation around them. A line of storms embedded in clouds is another story. Avoid it, don't rely on radar to get you through a gap. 4. The ADF is a cheap storm warning device. If the needle constantly hunts around, it may be indicating electrical activity associated with a thunderstorm. The needle tends to point toward the storm. 5. If you do fly into a storm, keep flying. It's usually worse to attempt a turn than to maintain straight and level flight. You'll be out of the storm in a few minutes if you keep control of the plane. Hope this is of some help. -- Dave Touretzky
Peter@sri-unix (06/30/82)
Richard Collins has just published a book specifically about Thunderbumpers.