Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
#1877130
With the growth of the internet the weather information available to pilots has expanded rapidly.

Back then we had the Met Office F214 & 215 plus TAF and METAR for airfields if you could actually get hold of them. For the life of me I can't recall how we did that. Were they on the VOLMET frequencies?

Now with frontal charts, real time weather radar and satellite images, every TAF & METAR imaginable all available at the click of the mouse there is all the information there to help you make your call.

And if you get it wrong, just turn round or opt for a precautionary landing. A nearby airfield if possible, a suitable field if not.

Plus, do more IMC training than the minimum required. I am not talking about the instrument licences here, I am talking about pure VFR pilots getting practice under hoods, or foggles or real IMC with a qualified instructor.

After that the instrument qualifications are a worthwhile investment (says he who doesn't have one)

Rob P
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By Longfinal
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1877137
I can’t help feeling that your question, and please never stop asking - its not really your fault, reflects very poorly on your training. You will gain knowledge by experience but your question is basic and you should have a better understanding having just passed your skills test. I would have expected your examiner to have revealed your weakness in this area also. Again, not a criticism of you - except perhaps in how much you engaged with your theory. Did you question bank or get your nose properly into the subjects?
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#1877146
I would really recommend the following website which has a huge amount of data: www. windy.com

In addition, I always look at the latest TAFs and met-office F215.

The key variables for VFR flight are cloudbase, visibility and winds.

Regarding your question "having checked the weather, metars and TAFs, would you go out for an hour or two's nav if it was overcast but otherwise benign", my answer would be certainly yes subject to precise cloudbase, visibility and winds and also provided based on TAFs that you are satisfied the weather is not deteriorating below acceptable limits.
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#1877147
Depending on the engine, I think carb/engine icing is a very serious concern to keep in mind, it happen in good VMC with moderate temperatures (I had an engine failure at 50ft with land ahead, the engine did run the whole 2h after and no issue was found, so yeah keep it warm from time to time), fog & mist in this season are also things to watch for in cross country (they may not visible in TAF & MET forecasts but keep an eye on temp/dew spread when winds are light and throw more fuel for out/return, 30min reserve is a bad idea when it comes to fog and low clouds late afternoons)

Airframe icing is one worry out of many when flying IFR (probably 5th or 6th down my list in UK winter) but it’s never a concern when flying VFR (outside clouds or far away at VMC minima)
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1877148
MattL wrote:@Rob P used to be a dial up fax thing that spewed out long paper lists of stuff if remember rightly


Yep: as studies at the Ipswich School of Flying(1992) the first stude in in the morning was sent up to the tower where Angelika would present us with the reams of heat sensitive paper from the fax.

The trip in itself to the tower was fraught with danger as the terminal building was in a state of complete disrepair with missing /rotten first floor floorboards . Angelika still flies from Crowfield when she’s not holed up in Alderney .
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1877149
Top tip for @Supercat :

Notwithstanding your having just passed your Skills test and therefore not technically being a student any more , you might find that if you head back to the studes’ forum to ask questions like this you’ll find yourself protected from snarky and often unhelpful responses such as have appeared already on this thread.

The Studes Forum ‘no flaming’ guideline is there for a good reason. :wink:
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#1877152
Hi Supercat, I was wondering which license you hold, as I did know a pilot who had a microlight license or lapl (or something else, I can’t exactly remember)

anyway, he told me he did almost no XC to get it and so never experienced met and cross country decisions properly.

He found that quite a problem and said he was taught to fly, but not navigate or make met decisions.

I mention this because it’s quite a surprising question for someone newly qualified.

It’s not one that can easily be answered, I sometimes take off in dodgy weather, or under an overcast, but there are lots of factors to consider.

What time of year is it? Is it going to get warmer or colder, what does the dew point look like, where are the fronts, what do you intend to do etc etc.

I’ve done circuits in weather where I know I can fit one more in, and I’ve been on cross country flights that were perfect if I went west and back, but definitely not north.

The short answer I wanted to give was “eh? didn’t you do met?” and “eh? didn’t you discuss flying conditions with your instructor all through your training?”

It’s all way too complicated to answer your question, which is very vague, in a forum post.

Try some specific questions and everyone here will be very helpful.
#1877153
Human Factor wrote:
johnm wrote:Never fly towards a front is a good rule of thumb.


Depends what you’re doing.

It could equally be said never to fly away from one (if it’s encroaching on your departure airfield and you’re planning to go back there, for example).

It’s a judgement call which comes with experience. While you’re right to suggest that flying towards a front is worth some potentially serious consideration, I would caution against saying never. Especially if you ever want to fly in the U.K. :wink:



If on a bimble I’d say always fly TOWARDS the front, that way when it starts deteriorating you know you can turn around and fly home.

Fronts tend to come in from the west where I fly from, no way would I set off to the east coast and back with weather approaching from the west.
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1877160
Supercat wrote:I've only just passed my skills test (last Saturday and so don't have an official piece of paper yet) and one of the things that has dawned on me is that now I'm on my own, I can't rely on the person in the right seat to make judgment calls on whether it's safe to fly or not.


Congrats on passing the skills test!!

But it worries me if your instructor hasnt let you make the go/no-go decisions during your training. I suspect that this isnt entirely the case though, and that the reality is that you are worried about getting yourself into trouble now you make all the decisions and he isnt there asking you. Several have posted about how to get weather information and various dangers, but really, you are talking about decision making, not weather evaluation.

I think that the most relevant advice I ever had about flying and it is oft quoted is "If there is doubt, there is no doubt". This isnt just applicable to weather decisions, but about every decision you make - how you are feeling, a planned route, fuel status, an instrument reading, anything. And if you do decide that you will commit aviation then always have a backup plan.

Regards, SD..
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#1877174
skydriller wrote:... it is oft quoted is "If there is doubt, there is no doubt".


Odd. I find this one of the least useful of the tedious little mantras that litter flying.

I did a trip to Cornwall earlier in the year. After looking at all the forecasts for a very long time I set off with a considerable amount of doubt as to whether I would make it to my chosen destination.

But I planned for a series of weather related issues, accepted that my SD route was a wishlist not a mandate, identified a series of en route diversions to land, carried enough fuel for the return trip plus a bit and had my overnight stuff in the aeroplane.

I had a great, if slightly challenging, trip. Following the mantra that would have been another flight I'd never have flown, another valuable experience not added to my fund.

Rob P
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1877190
Rob P wrote:After looking at all the forecasts for a very long time I set off with a considerable amount of doubt as to whether I would make it to my chosen destination.

But I planned for a series of weather related issues, accepted that my SD route was a wishlist not a mandate, identified a series of en route diversions to land, carried enough fuel for the return trip plus a bit and had my overnight stuff in the aeroplane.


Well I see that the other way around... You doubted you could get the whole way there and had multiple plans for not making it... This means you set off fully prepared to not get there... so there was no doubt in your mind that setting off was a safe decision. My guess is that as you continued en-route, the weather, aeroplane, fuel use etc was better than, or as anticipated and that if at any time you had any doubt about continuing, then you would have made the decision to divert, turn back or do something else you had actually planned for... see what I mean??

Regards, SD..