Flying High and Visual

The forecast said that deep, moist convection was likely for your afternoon flight. On your drive to the airport, you second-guess the 10,000-foot altitude you filed. Should you have filed for the low to mid teens? Perhaps you should have filed a much lower altitude to try and stay below the clouds?

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

When flying in convective weather, the prime directive is to stay visual (VMC) to avoid in-cloud turbulence, with flying at higher altitudes generally recommended for better visibility and smoother air.
Benefits of flying high include improved forward visibility above haze layers, easier identification and preemptive avoidance of dangerous buildups, and increased separation from terrain.
Key considerations for high-altitude flight involve managing risks such as structural icing (especially supercooled large drops) and potential lightning strikes, along with ensuring necessary equipment (oxygen/pressurization) and ample fuel reserves for deviations.
For maximum flexibility in maneuvering around convective weather, particularly for aircraft unable to reach high altitudes, VFR with flight following is often preferred over IFR, as it allows greater freedom for deviations while maintaining cloud clearances.

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The prime directive in convective flying is simple: Strive to stay visual at all times unless you have the equipment, training and experience to do otherwise. Staying in VMC goes a long way to keeping you out of the nastiest part of the thunderstorm, the in-cloud turbulence.