Its no surprise that many pilots go into hibernation during the winter. Winter flying has its own set of risks and operational challenges. Its cold. Theres the potential for frost on the wings and ice in the clouds. The winds are generally stronger. There are icy ramps and runways with poor traction. Oh, and did we mention that its cold?
Cold temperatures cause altimeters to indicate a higher altitude than true, significantly reducing obstacle clearance during instrument flight procedures.
The FAA now mandates cold-temperature altitude adjustments at specific "Cold Temperature Restricted Airports" when the ambient temperature falls below a critical limit, indicated by a snowflake icon on approach charts.
Pilots must calculate and apply these adjustments to various procedure segments (intermediate, final, missed approach) and, in some cases, report the corrected altitudes to Air Traffic Control to ensure safety and maintain obstacle protection.
It’s no surprise that many pilots go into hibernation during the winter. Winter flying has its own set of risks and operational challenges. It’s cold. There’s the potential for frost on the wings and ice in the clouds. The winds are generally stronger. There are icy ramps and runways with poor traction. Oh, and did we mention that it’s cold?
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