Warm Weather Operations Training

Weather Radar Module for Warm Weather Operations

Advanced Aircrew Academy's Weather Radar Module covers all of the warm weather-generated hazards that pilots face associated mainly with thunderstorms that can grow rapidly and unpredictably. Spring is a perfect time to refocus on warm weather operations and review those hazards, such as the following:

• Turbulence associated with convective activity can be felt 50 miles away.
• Tornadoes can spin up with little warning.
• Despite the warm weather on the surface, icing is still possible in clouds.
• Storms can throw hail for miles.
• Lightning can cause aircraft damage and temporarily blind pilots at night.
• Wind shear can exceed the climb performance of an aircraft.

Flight planning in the warmer months includes thunderstorm avoidance since aircraft can't safely fly through them. Because storm dynamics shift quickly, weather radar training is critical to understanding how changing conditions affect thunderstorm avoidance.

Flight paths must adjust in real time with information from imperfect technology that may describe meteorological conditions as they were 15 minutes ago. Technique is required to read the data from multiple sources and create the safest path. Add to that the increased congestion of other aircraft performing the same maneuvers around the same weather and even the most experienced pilots and air traffic controllers will feel the stress.

Already this year, a Boeing 767 crashed into Trinity Bay near Houston as it tried to navigate around a band of precipitation on its approach, reinforcing the importance of interpreting the data. While a final verdict has yet to be rendered on the accident, it is clear the crew lost control of the aircraft seconds before the crash. Thorough weather radar training is a necessary component of any pilot's training so you can be confident in giving convective activity the respect it deserves for the hazards associated with it.

Warm Weather Training

Advanced Aircrew Academy's warm weather operations training is designed by experienced pilots who have used the equipment and navigated these hazards. They offer real-world knowledge to describe how the theory works in practice so that you can visualize both the problem and the solution, giving you the tools to handle whatever weather comes your way in the moment.

In our warm weather training, you will learn about all of the various warm weather meteorological phenomena you'll encounter, including the following:

• Thunderstorms and the types of hazards they generate
• Fronts
• Cloud Types
• Convective weather
• Wind shear
• Jet stream conditions
• Microbursts
• Mountain waves
• Types of accidents they can cause and why
• Equipment you use to avoid hazardous weather and how to account for lag times in tech updates

Understanding hazards is not enough, and pilots cannot rely on the technology alone. Automation is limited by the data fed to it, and a machine cannot know or process all of the data points a pilot can. It takes analytical thought to understand the hazard and the likelihood of its changing or moving and how to avoid it. Many variables and multiple pieces of equipment factor into these responsive decisions and someday it will be your call to make. You'll want to be comfortable with every factor when that day comes.

In learning more about the technology, you’ll also be able to determine when it is not working optimally. Accidents have been caused by equipment that was failing because the pilots were not familiar enough with its proper operations to notice the difference. Today, as technology improves and changes at an exponential rate, it is even more crucial to understand the way it compiles and delivers the information you use to manage the operational risks.

Thankfully, technology has increasingly become more sophisticated at the same time, but it can never deliver the quality assessments that an experienced pilot can make. Experience is not just about hours in the cockpit. Experience evolves from training and learning from others’ mistakes and successes. The technology is of little use without a qualified operator who understands its limitations and can fill in the blanks. Advanced Aircrew Academy’s Weather Radar module will reduce your risk associated with operating near convective activity.