MET INSIGHT
KEEPING A
WEATHER EYE
It’s complex and always changing, but staying on top of what the weather's up to isn’t necessarily difficult
I
’m lucky enough to have enjoyed flying for 20 years now, passing the 1000hr mark a few years ago. For more than a decade I have been flying out of Exeter in Devon with the well run Robin Flying Group that operates a fleet of Robin DR400s and a Super Decathlon. The Robin is highly capable with outstanding visibility from which to observe the weather – and as a weatherman that’s terrific. I’m also fortunate to be able to fly a somewhat more weather sensitive 1941 J3C cub from a small Devon grass strip.
A few years ago I tried a completely different type of aviation with even greater weather sensitivity, learning to paraglide with my 17-year-old old daughter Katherine in the Alps. Underneath a paragliding wing you feel every lump and bump of turbulence, and that gusting 15-20kt wind that wouldn’t trouble you in a Robin would be a complete no-go. Flights in the Robins range from short
locals and breakfast runs, to overnight trips to northern France and occasional longer tours, with destinations including Scotland, Denmark, Italy, Spain and the highlight – Morocco. These have been demanding yet rewarding, with weather often posing challenging decisions, often with limited weather information.
A pilot that always waits for perfect conditions will find themselves frequently grounded, or missing the best weather and the wonder of a stunning cloudscape. They will lose currency and enter a spiral of declining confidence. Sadly, many new pilots give up flying soon after gaining their licence. There are various reasons but I suspect a key one is a fear of the weather, possibly made worse by an unexpected weather challenge. Weather is to be respected, not feared, and developing an understanding of it and how it might change can only help in developing confidence and enable pilots to
expand their flying horizons safely and take to the air when many stay on the ground. When it comes to weather, understanding the context is an invaluable tool. Air masses – essentially where the weather has come from – are a good example of this. Weather which reaches the UK from the south over Europe is more likely to be dry, but may be hazy and polluted. Weather from the south- west is likely to contain moisture bringing rain and low cloud, while weather from the north-west is likely to bring clear air following a cold front, but with a higher risk of showers. This level of understanding will help pilots prepare, respond and react to weather accordingly. With advances in science, computing and satellite technology, weather forecasts have dramatically improved over the years – a four-day forecast now is as good as a one-day forecast was just 30 years ago and forecasts contain far more local detail. However our weather is extremely
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