Jump to content
Problems logging in? ×
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?

TheFlyingDuck

Members
  • Posts

    10
  • Joined

  • Last visited

1 Follower

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Bristol EGGD | Frome | Poitiers

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

TheFlyingDuck's Achievements

Newbie

Newbie (1/14)

  • Collaborator
  • Week One Done
  • One Month Later
  • Five years in
  • One Year In

Recent Badges

19

Reputation

  1. This photo is either incorrectly dated or was from later in the afternoon because the cells that affected the island during the early part of the day (when we were attempting to land) were far more disorganised and embedded - a day for studying the onboard weather radar as the mk1 eyeball was redundant. We ended up having to bravely run away from the hold as a nasty section of one of the cells passed through, by which point the airport was shut anyway. We were one of 8 aircraft that diverted to VLC, I believe in total it was nearly 20 aircraft which were affected by the morning closure. Indeed the approach is down the 'right side' of the cell as you look at the photo, its impossible to recommend an approach direction (you wouldn't even attempt one anyway) with a cell positioned so closely over the field. Inflow/Outflow of the cell will be constantly changing the wind direction and strength - the surface wind can also be a complete contrast to that of the steering upper winds. Last year a cell decided to park itself at the far end of the runway in Perugia. We held for a while with the steering winds were giving us around 25kts tailwind on the approach, and the surface wind was outside limits with a 15kts tailwind (likely the storm sucking in as it built). The 737 usually feels very sporty on the brakes, however even a very light tailwind very quickly makes it feel like steel/carbon brakes have been replaced with bottle tops. All of a sudden ATC informed us of a full 180 degree switch to the surface wind, as the cell collapsed and rained out on the 'back-side'. The result was a 25kts tailwind on the initial part of the approach which would switch to a 15kts headwind at some point. We gave up on the approach in the end, a 40kts change in wind speed is never likely to lead to stable approach criteria.
  2. Flew along the leading edge of the cold front this morning from Exeter to Cardiff. Was a chilly -10 at 8,000ft - yet we picked up very little icing (only in the lower levels during climbout). Icy "dry" snowflakes don't stick to us, they do blow in through the air vents though, and did!!
  3. Brothers just come back across Salisbury plain and reported lightning, Lightningmaps.org seems to agree with him, yet the radar has no records. The shower that I'd expect it to have come from has only just arrived on scene too? Anyone in that area able to confirm?
  4. Some pretty impressive cloud structures today. Spent two hours fly down canyons SFC-8000ft. Tried to get above it but was hemmed not by controlled airspace. Photo was from down over Exmoor
  5. If I was being picky... the TAF (Terminal Area Forecast) is showing storms into the night, the METAR is the actual conditions at the time of the report, usually updated every 30 minutes or more frequently if special conditions are reached: That's called a METAR SPECI. (60 degree change in wind, 10kts change in wind, CB in vicinity, etc etc will get a METAR SPECI produced) Sorry to pick up on it, I've just finished the Airline Transport Pilot License exams so am being particularly specific
  6. Lucky you 27 at the moment with a mid level blanket of 'scud'. 31% humidity but with rain supposedly on the way. Im in the red square, but no sign of any of the rain on the radar? Does virga get picked up?
  7. We’ve just had a thunderstorm wanting issued to the airfield. The most recent TAFs for the area: Exeter PROB30 TSGR Bristol PROB40 TSGR Cardiff PROB30 TSGR PROB40 is the highest probability you can get on a TAF, so smile if you are in Bristol, and cross your toes All TEMPO so ‘lasting less than one hour’
  8. Faintest hints of blue through the cloud in Exeter at the moment, unfortunately radar looks like rain will arrive soon and stick around for a while! That will please the 9 pointy red things we are expecting later! Interesting how sharp the showers look in the stuff drifting up from the SE
  9. Heavy blanket of apparently ‘broken’ cloud here (Exeter) according to the METAR. Definitely OVC. Doubt will get much GA later on as the embedded CB’s pop up above the blanket. Very interesting to see the Met Office Ammended their low level forecast! Haven’t seen seen that happen in a while!
×
×
  • Create New...