Thunderstorms

Aircraft fly at least 20 miles from the centre of thunderstorms.

Many anxious flyers will claim that they have flown in or through a thunderstorm, even though civil air regulations require pilots to remain at least 20 miles from them. (See our CD Set Disc 2 Track 10). This belief is a major cause of a fear of flying (Your  fear of flying can be overcome if you use our help and use a proper strategy.)

Thunderstorms are like any other clouds that have been formed by rising warm air. During the day the air is heated by the ground and rises. This air continues to rise until it is as cool as the surrounding air; when it reaches this level the moisture in the air is released and becomes visible and forms a cloud. Read on to see how these clouds become thunderstorms. At night thunderstorms are normally associated with frontal systems.

Remember:

• Your aircraft will not be flown through a thunderstorm
• Lightning is not a danger to aircraft
• It is likely to be turbulent in the vicinity of a thunderstorm

Under certain circumstances the cloud can keep becoming warmer than the surrounding air and so it continues to rise . This is how a thundercloud develops. It starts as an ordinary fluffy cloud which continues to develop rather than reaching a steady state. The circumstances for this to occur are relatively scarce although in certain parts of the world they are more common because of the land masses or the meeting of different air flows. From the pilot’s point of view, the weather radar in the cockpit will show the presence of thunderstorm activity from a distance of 120 miles, which means that the pilots have at least fifteen minutes to plan navigating around them. Pilots will inform air traffic control when they are deviating around thunderstorms and pilots will always inform each other of the height and the extent of any thunderstorm activity.

Even when planes change route there is no reduction in the distances that aircraft are kept apart and no question that they will cross other routes or have any conflict with other planes. Navigating around them is simple. Say, for example, that as we approach a thunderstorm the wind is blowing from the left to the right then the pilot will take the aircraft to the left hand side of the storm where it will be less turbulent.

At night the light from lightning flashes will be considerable and will create the impression that the storm is very close, you must remember that the contrast between the dark sky and a flash of lightning will be enormous and therefore flashes will be seen from a long way away. If you are in cloud  at the time of course the light will reflect in the cloud and make it look as if you are in the storm. Also the area around the storms can be unsettled so you are likely to encounter turbulence.

Weather radar will show storms up to 120 miles from the aircraft.

Sometimes you will be able to see lightning travelling across the sky. This is no problem to any aircraft because it has the properties of a Faraday’s Cage, so you are completely insulated. An aircraft is perfectly safe if it is struck by lightning. It will not upset the instruments or cause any problem to the engines and equipment on board. There is no chance that it will cause a fire. The damage caused to an aircraft in the vicinity of a thunderstorm is likely to be confined to hail damage to the nose cone which, because it is unpressurised is unimportant from a structural point of view.  Remember that aircraft are not allowed, by law, to fly into thunderstorms and when passing them must avoid them by at least 20 miles. Hear all about this on our Audio CD Set

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