Despite the hard work from every segment of aviation, we have to reluctantly admit that there are still unforeseeable factors that can lead to incidents and accidents. From TWA Flight 800 to Air France 447, seemingly standard missions can be hit by disaster, with flight crews left unable to respond adequately, if at all. Through the efforts of the National Transportation Safety Board (and other investigative organizations), the FAA and the industry, these accidents are getting far less common as we create new guidelines to help us steer clear of disaster.
Avoiding Turbulence
Key Takeaways:
- Avoidable turbulence encounters are increasing due to rapidly developing thunderstorms and inadequate pilot training in convective meteorology and radar usage.
- High-altitude pilots must correctly adjust airborne weather radar tilt (e.g., to angle down 4-5 degrees) to detect fast-growing storms and their clear-air turbulent tops at a safe distance for effective avoidance.
- Pilots, especially those relying on Nexrad, should proactively assess atmospheric instability using meteorological forecasts (like NOAA's AC Note) and recognize specific indicators of dangerous, rapidly evolving supercell thunderstorms to ensure timely avoidance.
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