Really big winds and airplanes are not compatible. Of course, our first desire is to avoid those big winds. But, occasionally they sneak up on us even when we’re diligent about avoiding them. Then what should you do?
Detection
The kinds of winds we’re talking about typically come from storm cells and those are easy to detect with the right equipment. Radar is the most common, but it’s often not fiscally or physically practical in a typical general-aviation aircraft. That leaves two other choices: broadcast weather (a satellite service or FIS-B) and lightning detectors, also known as ‘spherics (for “atmospherics”).
