Misfortune of Others

While some readers probably welcome a refresher on turbulence, shear, and thunderstorm dangers, others might see it as beating a dead horse. But Wx Smarts is that intersection between my 30 years of forecasting and your thousands of hours of instrument time. Within these articles I guarantee theres always something that wasnt fully covered in flight school or the FAA circulars. Whether its more detail or just an unusual situation, the goal is to keep you interested, thinking outside the box, and having more insight into aviation meteorology than the average pilot.

Tim Vasquez

Friday, July 14, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots must thoroughly understand and anticipate severe weather threats, such as intense turbulence within frontal zones or microbursts from thunderstorms, which may not always be obvious on standard cockpit weather displays.
The article highlights the critical importance of obtaining comprehensive and updated weather briefings, actively seeking and providing PIREPs, and communicating effectively with ATC to avoid hazardous conditions.
Both accident case studies underscore the necessity for pilots to exercise sound judgment, trust their instincts, and always have an "out" rather than pressing into situations where adverse weather can lead to loss of aircraft control.

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While some readers probably welcome a refresher on turbulence, shear, and thunderstorm dangers, others might see it as beating a dead horse. But Wx Smarts is that intersection between my 30 years of forecasting and your thousands of hours of instrument time. Within these articles I guarantee there’s always something that wasn’t fully covered in flight school or the FAA circulars. Whether it’s more detail or just an unusual situation, the goal is to keep you interested, thinking outside the box, and having more insight into aviation meteorology than the average pilot.

A few times a year, we explore aviation accidents, going from the theoretical to the practical and drawing from the NTSB’s rich archives of accidents, error, and tragedy—specifically the meteorological ones. Let’s take a break from low ceilings, fog, and ice and look at some common late-summer and autumn trouble areas. Most of these involve thunderstorms and wind shear.