Can You Handle It?

Winter means tighter limits on weather, fuel, and time. But this doesn’t eliminate all the risks, even with a solid alternate—so be prepared, which often means proficient.

Elaine Kauh

Monday, January 22, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A winter IFR flight presented numerous hazards including strong crosswinds, turbulence, and cold temperatures requiring altitude corrections, underscoring the need for meticulous pre-flight planning and alternate selection.
Despite thorough preparation, unexpected severe in-flight conditions on approach to the primary destination led to a challenging go-around due to difficulty aligning with the runway amidst strong winds and an offset course.
The pilot safely resolved the situation by executing a complex hold in high winds and diverting to a prepared alternate, highlighting the importance of robust contingency planning, understanding cold temperature error, and recent experience in adverse conditions.

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Winter hazards in some areas don’t peak until around Valentine’s Day, and could last a couple more months before ceilings, winds, and cold start letting up. So, those accustomed to the season take more care planning their trips, accepting more risk of cancelling them. And when a flight does depart, that preparation surely gets put to the test.

Yeah, It’s Cold

Flying from southern Ohio to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, in February wasn’t your first choice for a 300-mile cross country, but family obligations required an early-afternoon departure for the two-hour flight. That gets you to KSEG well before sunset, but the northeast headwinds added some extra time pressure. Plus, winds are gusting up to 35 knots at the surface.