Weather Minimums Memo at Florida Flight School Generates Controversy
A new policy at L3Harris Flight Academy in Orlando dictates that the weather must be below certain criteria before a flight can be canceled or penalties would be levied.
Developing personal minimums and learning to make the go/no-go decision is an essential part of flight training. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]
Key Takeaways:
L3Harris Flight Academy has implemented a weather cancellation policy that penalizes students for canceling flights if conditions meet or exceed company-set minimums, which often fall within Marginal VFR (MVFR) criteria.
Aviation professionals and organizations widely criticize this policy for pressuring students and instructors into potentially unsafe flights and undermining the development of crucial personal minimums and sound aeronautical decision-making skills.
While the FAA confirms the policy is legally compliant with federal regulations, critics argue it demonstrates poor judgment and conflicts with industry best practices for pilot risk management and safety training.
I ask my private pilot candidates this when the weather is unstable or marginal VFR and falling. If they determine the weather does not support the mission, they need to explain why they came to that decision.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
