Weather Avoidance and Timelines Flashcards
What is your first thought if the weather is unfit ahead?
Look and check the weather either side of track.
Check for brighter bits of sky or areas where the cloud is less thick, lower ground, etc.
If possible, which side of track is it best to turn for a weather avoid?
Turn inside the planned route as this will save fuel and time
What considerations are there when manoeuvring around cumulus on your planned track?
Sooner you see it, the smaller the heading change required to route around.
Give it a wide berth due to the possibility of embedded showers reducing visibility, as well as the possibility of other aircraft doing the same thing on the reciprocal.
Turn inside the route when possible.
If unable to route around a layer of low stratus whilst flying below controlled airspace, what options do you have other than a LL abort?
Turn around back in to the clear air you were just in and formulate a new plan rather than pressing in to bad weather with a good chance of an abort in to CAS.
If the stratus layer is thin and low lying, you may be able to climb above the cloud whilst maintaining track. Adjust aircraft speed to retain 240 KIAS GS.
Expect an IAS reduction of approx. 4 KIAS/1000ft to compensate for the increased GS at height.
Watch for gaps or weather clearing ahead in order to re-enter LL.
Also an option if you encounter fog.
How can you maintain timeline SA whilst at LL?
Include the WPT datablock DTG & TTG in your scan.
As you apply the waypoint, apply a correction for early/late and turn yourself pointing towards the next WPT to regain the timeline.
At LL, how should you correct errors up to +/- 60 secs?
Turn on time (planned turn time)
Will therefore need a slight heading adjustment.
I.e. If you are 50 secs late then you will turn before your planned WPT, if you are 50 secs early you will turn after your planned WPT (careful of avoids and airspace).
Check new route to next way point for avoids now you are slightly off track.
You could turn at the planned WPT if needs be, but you will now need to head either inside the next WPT (late) or outside the next WPT (if early).
At LL, how should you fly to regain the timeline for errors >60 secs?
Requires a more dramatic adjustment of the route. May need to turn towards a point halfway between your next WPT and the one after that.
Estimated by dead reckoning initially.
Make the turn, then step the Legs page up to the next relevant WPT, to help you assess your error correction (WPT info box).
May not necessarily solve all your error in one go, but is used to chunk down the error to then allow the +/-60 sec technique.
