Autumn Changes

Fall conjures memories of bright blue skies, cool mornings and generally good daytime flying. But in aviation, looks can be deceiving. New air masses are on the move, the jet stream begins to flex its muscle over much of the United States, fronts are marching southward, and theres likely a tropical storm in the Caribbean or the Gulf. How does this affect your flying and how can you avoid an unplanned turn of events?

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, November 05, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Fall aviation presents unique and significant hazards, including widespread and serious fog (valley, advection, radiation), dangerous high winds (mountain-induced, Santa Anas), and persistent icing due to lower freezing levels and supercooled water.
Pilots must also contend with the inland impact of hurricane remnants (heavy rain, IMC, icing), nocturnal low-level jets causing wind shear and IMC, and rapidly developing storm systems over the Great Lakes.
Thorough flight planning using TAFs, SIGMETs, and AIRMETs, coupled with preparation for unexpected weather changes, is crucial for safe autumn flying, as even sophisticated meteorological models are approximations.

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Fall conjures memories of bright blue skies, cool mornings and generally good daytime flying. But in aviation, looks can be deceiving. New air masses are on the move, the jet stream begins to flex its muscle over much of the United States, fronts are marching southward, and there’s likely a tropical storm in the Caribbean or the Gulf. How does this affect your flying and how can you avoid an unplanned turn of events?

FAT Is for Fog