Gottagetthereitis has killed more pilots than you really want to think about. That said, there are some flights where you're willing to use the training and instrumentation you put all that effort and money into to get you through some difficult weather. TKS deicing is my primary weather tool during the colder months. When convective weather is Aviation Enemy Number One, weather detection becomes more important. My Stormscope is fine, as far as it goes, but I have learned firsthand, that there really does have to be that first lightning strike somewhere, and the Stormscope doesn't tell you where that's going to be―only where it has been. If you're at that point where the air has gotten turbulent enough to start sparks flying, you've stumbled into a real roller coaster ride that will necessitate a deft touch on the controls and a block altitude from ATC to ride out the really big bumps. Fortunately, in convective areas, by the time the CUs turn into boomers they're already producing copious amounts of rainfall, which is easy to detect on radar. "But," some might protest, "I have neither radar nor the $30,000 it would cost to have radar installed." Okay. Could you find $2600? Or, if that's still too much, you might be able to get by for as little as 400 bucks.
展开▼
