X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:42:46 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imo-d21.mx.aol.com ([205.188.144.207] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.13) with ESMTP id 3591118 for lml@lancaironline.net; Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:47:00 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=205.188.144.207; envelope-from=Flypetezacc@aol.com Received: from imo-da03.mx.aol.com (imo-da03.mx.aol.com [205.188.169.201]) by imo-d21.mx.aol.com (8.14.1/8.14.1) with ESMTP id n3L2kPok003791 for ; Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:46:27 -0400 (EDT) Received: from Flypetezacc@aol.com by imo-da03.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v40_r1.5.) id q.d5d.3932b67c (37534) for ; Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:46:23 -0400 (EDT) Received: from smtprly-db03.mx.aol.com (smtprly-db03.mx.aol.com [205.188.249.154]) by cia-mb01.mx.aol.com (v123.3) with ESMTP id MAILCIAMB017-5c4149ed337a24a; Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:46:20 -0400 Received: from webmail-dx18 (webmail-dx18.sim.aol.com [205.188.104.92]) by smtprly-db03.mx.aol.com (v123.4) with ESMTP id MAILSMTPRLYDB037-5c4149ed337a24a; Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:46:18 -0400 X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: X-Original-Date: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:46:18 -0400 X-AOL-IP: 65.34.112.235 X-MB-Message-Source: WebUI MIME-Version: 1.0 From: flypetezacc@aol.com X-MB-Message-Type: User Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="--------MB_8CB90427AEDFD8C_7DC_3053_webmail-dx18.sysops.aol.com" X-Mailer: AOL Webmail 42559-STANDARD Received: from 65.34.112.235 by webmail-dx18.sysops.aol.com (205.188.104.92) with HTTP (WebMailUI); Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:46:18 -0400 X-Original-Message-Id: <8CB90427AE938D4-7DC-179B@webmail-dx18.sysops.aol.com> X-Spam-Flag:NO ----------MB_8CB90427AEDFD8C_7DC_3053_webmail-dx18.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hello Everyone, Spring is upon is and I want everyone to think of Thunderstorms, but do no= t forget about icing, every year, not just the bad years, we=C2=A0lose an= airplane to Thunderstorms.=C2=A0 Unfortunately the message does not get= to everyone in the community, so please=C2=A0pass along=C2=A0some caution= to all of your friends that fly high performance airplanes whether high= time pilots or not.=C2=A0 There are plenty of statistics with fatal accid= ents at the hands of pilots with over 10,000 hours=C2=A0as well as=C2=A0un= der 100 hours. Over 25 percent of fatal weather-related General Aviation accidents are at= tributed to thunderstorms. =C2=A0To make matters worse, high performance= aircraft often fly at altitudes that put them in the worst of weather. The three thunderstorm categories based on causal source types are: Air mass thunderstorms Often occurring on warm afternoons in late Spring, Summer and early Fall,= air mass thunderstorms are the result of the sun=E2=80=99s heating of the= earth=E2=80=99s surface and the resulting rising column of warm air. Ofte= n isolated, you may be able to maneuver around them. Frontal thunderstorms Caused by a cold front pushing into a warmer air mass with lots of moistur= e, frontal thunderstorms are difficult, if not impossible to circumnavigat= e. Squall lines Squall lines are often characterized by narrow bands of convection, heavy= rainfall, and intense winds and shear. They usually occur ahead of a cold= front. Embedded thunderstorms Embedded thunderstorms are thunderstorms hidden in soli d masses of other clouds. These storms can sometimes be avoided by climbin= g on top of the cloud layer and watching for buildups, or by staying low= (if ceilings and visibilities permit) and navigating around columns of ra= in. IMC Flight without thunderstorm detection ability and relying on datal= ink weather, which can have 1 hour 30 minute delays, can have fatal conseq= uences.=C2=A0 You need to have 100% knowledge that there are no embedded= thunderstorms or turn around or land. Radar works through line-of-sight, similar to a VOR. On the East coast, ra= dar coverage is very good and the returns from altitudes at which thunders= torms develop is excellent. In mountainous areas the limitations of radar= can be a factor. Because radar works through line-of-sight it cannot see= over or around mountains. Radar sites located on mountaintops, which can= be over 8,000 msl, may 'overshoot' precipitation. Keep in mind that a rad= ar return with no precipitation echoes (no returns) does not mean that the= re is no significant weather, as clouds and fog are not detected by the ra= dar. However, when echoes are present, turbulence can be implied by the in= tensity of the precipitation, and icing is implied by the presence of the= precipitation at temperatures at or below zero degrees Celsius. Regarding precipitation and turbulence, look at (or ask ATC) how far apart= the different levels of precipitation are from each other. This differenc= e is called the gradient. Just like with isobars=E2=80=94the closer they= are together, the more turbulent the ride. P recipitation gradient is also a good indicator of turbulence. Rule of thum= b: the closer the precipitation levels are together, the more turbulence= expected. For more information on thunderstorm avoidance and turbulence around conve= ctive activity, read section 7-1-29 of the AIM. The following thunderstorm levels were established by the National Weather= Service and are based on measurements from the Video Integrator and Proce= ssor, or VIP. VIP contours radar reflectivity in dBZ. =C2=A0 New Terminology dBZ Rain Fall/Hour =C2=A0 Light 18-29 .01" to .10" =C2=A0 Moderate 30-40 .175" to .50" =C2=A0 Heavy 40-50 .50" to 2.0" =C2=A0 Extreme 50+ 2.0" to 16+" =C2=A0 =C2=A0 During fair weather, Weather and Radar Processor, WARP receives NEXRAD upd= ates every 9-11 minutes. When precipitation is detected NEXRAD automatical= ly switches to "precipitation mode" and updates more frequently (Generally= , at least every 4-6 minutes).=C2=A0 WARP does NOT display light precipita= tion. =C2=A0 ATC's primary purpose is to separate IFR aircraft. Other services, such as= VFR flight following and basic weather information, are provided on a wor= kload-permitting basis. Don't be confused by the terminology. Approach Control facilities and cons= olidated TRACONs offer the same services and have the same weather radar= equipment. One critical exception, however, is delay time.=C2=A0 WARP can be up to 10= -12 minu tes old, where ASR approach controllers have near real time weather images= .=C2=A0 This difference, if relied on, could prove fatal. Center Abbreviation Center Name ZAB Albuquerque ZAN Anchorage ZAU Chicago ZBW Boston ZDC Washington ZDV Denver ZFW Dallas-Ft Worth ZHN Honolulu ZHU Houston ZID Indianapolis ZJX Jacksonville ZKC Kansas City ZLA Los Angeles ZLC Salt Lake City ZMA Miami ZME Memphis ZMP Minneapolis ZNY New York ZOA Oakland ZOB Cleveland ZSE Seattle ZTL Atlanta =C2=A0 =C2=A0 As PIC you are responsible and need to be aware of FAR 91.123, PIC authori= ty and how it relates to weather avoidance and other safety concerns: Compliance with ATC clearances and instructions. (a) When an ATC clearance has been obtained, no pilot in command may devia= te from that clearance unless an amended clearance is obtained, an emergen= cy exists, or the deviation is in response to a traffic alert and collisio= n avoidance system resolution advisory. However, except in Class A airspac= e, a pilot may cancel an IFR flight plan if the operation is being conduct= ed in VFR weather conditions. When a pilot is uncertain of a n ATC clearance, that pilot shall immediately request clarification from= ATC. (b) Except in an emergency, no person may operate an aircraft contrary to= an ATC instruction in an area in which air traffic control is exercised. (c) Each pilot in command who, in an emergency, or in response to a traffi= c alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory, deviates from= an ATC clearance or instruction shall notify ATC of that deviation as soo= n as possible. (d) Each pilot in command who (though not deviating from a rule of this su= bpart) is given priority by ATC in an emergency, shall submit a detailed= report of that emergency within 48 hours to the manager of that ATC facil= ity, if requested by ATC. (e) Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person operating an aircraft ma= y operate that aircraft according to any clearance or instruction that has= been issued to the pilot of another aircraft for radar air traffic contro= l purposes. FAA recommendations: The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) =C2=A0section, 7-1-30 has inform= ation regarding thunderstorm avoidance. Below is an excerpt from the AIM. Thunderstorm Flying a. Above all, remember this: never regard any thunderstorm "lightly" even= when radar observers report the echoes are of light intensity. Avoiding= thunderstorms is the best policy. Following are some Do's and Don'ts of= thunderstorm avoidance: 1. Don't land or takeoff in the face of an approaching thunderstorm. A sud= den gust front of low level turbulence could cause loss of control. 2. Don't att empt to fly under a thunderstorm even if you can see through to the other= side. Turbulence and wind shear under the storm could be disastrous. 3. Don't fly without airborne radar into a cloud mass containing scattered= embedded thunderstorms. Scattered thunderstorms not embedded usually can= be visually circumnavigated. 4. Don't trust the visual appearance to be a reliable indicator of the tur= bulence inside a thunderstorm. 5. Do avoid any thunderstorm by at least 20 miles. 6. Do clear the top of a known or suspected severe thunderstorm by at leas= t 1,000 feet altitude for each 10 knots of wind speed at the cloud top. Th= is should exceed the altitude capability of most aircraft. 7. Do circumnavigate the entire area if the area has 6/10 thunderstorm cov= erage. 8. Do remember that vivid and frequent lightning indicates the probability= of a strong thunderstorm. 9. Do regard as extremely hazardous any thunderstorm with tops 35,000 feet= or higher whether the top is visually sighted or determined by radar. 10. Turn up cockpit lights to highest intensity to lessen temporary blindn= ess from lightning. 11. If using automatic pilot, disengage altitude hold mode and speed hold= mode. The automatic altitude and speed controls will increase maneuvers= of the aircraft thus increasing structural stress. 12. If using airborne radar, tilt the antenna up and down occasionally. Th= is will permit you to detect other thunderstorm activity at altitudes othe= r than the one being flown. The FAA says: If you cannot avoid penetrating a thunderstorm, following are some Do's before en= tering the storm: 1. Tighten your safety belt, put on your shoulder harness if you have one= and secure all loose objects. 2. Plan and hold your course to take you through the storm in a minimum ti= me. 3. To avoid the most critical icing, establish a penetration altitude belo= w the freezing level or above the level of minus 15 degrees Celsius. 4. Verify that pitot heat is on and turn on carburetor heat or jet engine= anti-ice. Icing can be rapid at any altitude and cause almost instantaneo= us power failure and/or loss of airspeed indication. 5. Establish power settings for turbulence penetration airspeed recommende= d in your aircraft manual. 6. Turn up cockpit lights to highest intensity to lessen temporary blindne= ss from lightning. 7. If using automatic pilot, disengage altitude hold mode and speed hold= mode. The automatic altitude and speed controls will increase maneuvers= of the aircraft thus increasing structural stress. 8. If using airborne radar, tilt the antenna up and down occasionally. Thi= s will permit you to detect other thunderstorm activity at altitudes other= than the one being flown. Following are some Do's and Don'ts during the thunderstorm penetration: 1. Do keep your eyes on your instruments. Looking outside the cockpit can= increase danger of temporary blindness from lightning. 2. Don't change power settings; maintain settings for the recommended turb= ulence penetration airspeed. 3. Don't attempt to=3D2 0maintain constant altitude; let the aircraft "ride the waves." 4. Don't turn back once you are in the thunderstorm. A straight course thr= ough the storm most likely will get you out of the hazards most quickly.= In addition, turning maneuvers increase stress on the aircraft. Whatever you do, assure that you are not flying into an area of thundersto= rms.=C2=A0 The consequences are extreme.=C2=A0 The question to be asked is= how will a Lancair perform below Va in extreme Turbulence?=C2=A0 Thank=C2=A0you, Peter Zaccagnino HP-AT.com, Inc Peter@hp-at.com 1046 River Ave Flemington, NJ 08822 908 391 2001 ----------MB_8CB90427AEDFD8C_7DC_3053_webmail-dx18.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"
Hello Everyone,

Spring is upon is and I want everyone to think of Thunderstorms, but do no= t forget about icing, every year, not just the bad years, we lose an= airplane to Thunderstorms.  Unfortunately the message does not get= to everyone in the community, so please pass along some caution= to all of your friends that fly high performance airplanes whether high= time pilots or not.  There are plenty of statistics with fatal accid= ents at the hands of pilots with over 10,000 hours as well as un= der 100 hours.

Over 25 percent of fatal weather-related General Aviation accidents are at= tributed to thunderstorms.  = To make matters worse, high performance aircraft often fly at altitudes th= at put them in the worst of weather.
The three thunderstorm categories based on causal source types are:<= o:p>

Often occurring on warm afternoons in late Spring, Summer= and early20Fall, air mass thunderstorms are the result of the sun=E2=80= =99s heating of the earth=E2=80=99s surface and the resulting rising colum= n of warm air. Often isolated, you may be able to maneuver around them.
Frontal thunderstorms
Caused by a cold front pushing into a warmer air mass with lots of moistur= e, frontal thunderstorms are difficult, if not impossible to circumnavigat= e.

Squall lines
Squall lines are often characterized by narrow bands of convection, heavy= rainfall, and intense winds and shear. They usually occur ahead of a cold= front.

Embedded thunderstorms
Embedded thunderstorms are thunderstorms hidden in solid masses of other= clouds. These storms can sometimes be avoided by climbing on top of the= cloud layer and watching for buildups, or by staying low (if ceilings and= visibilities permit) and navigating around columns of rain. IMC Flight wi= thout thunderstorm detection ability and relying on datalink weather, whic= h can have 1 hour 30 minute delays, can have fatal consequences.  You need to have 100% knowledge that= there are no embedded thunderstorms or turn around or land.
Radar works through line-of-sight, similar to a VOR.= On the East coast, radar coverage is very good and the returns from altit= udes at which thunderstorms develop is excellent. In mountainous areas the= limitations of radar can be a factor. Because radar works through line-of= -sight it cannot see over or around mountains. R adar sites located on mountaintops, which can be over 8,000 msl, may 'over= shoot' precipitation. Keep in mind that a radar return with no precipitati= on echoes (no returns) does not mean that there is no significant weather,= as clouds and fog are not detected by the radar. However, when echoes are= present, turbulence can be implied by the intensity of the precipitation,= and icing is implied by the presence of the precipitation at temperatures= at or below zero degrees Celsius.
Regarding precipitation and turbulence, look at (or as= k ATC) how far apart the different levels of precipitation are from each= other. This difference is called the gradient. Just like with isobars=E2= =80=94the closer they are together, the more turbulent the ride. Precipita= tion gradient is also a good indicator of turbulence. Rule of thumb: the= closer the precipitation levels are together, the more turbulence expecte= d.
For more information on thunderstorm avoidance and tur= bulence around convective activity, read section 7-1-29 of the AIM<= /A>.
The= following thunderstorm levels were established by the National Weather Se= rvice and are based on measurements from the Vid eo Integrator and Processor, or VIP. VIP contours radar reflectivity in dB= Z.
<= o:p> 
New Terminology
dBZ
Rain Fall/Hour
 
L= ight
1= 8-29
.= 01" to .10"
<= o:p> 
M= oderate
3= 0-40
=3D0 A
.= 175" to .50"
<= o:p> 
H= eavy
40-50
.= 50" to 2.0"
<= o:p> 
E= xtreme
5= 0+
2= .0" to 16+"
<= o:p> 
 
During fair weather, Weather and Radar Processor, WARP receives= NEXRAD updates every 9-11 minutes. When precipitation is detected NEXRAD= automatically switches to "precipitation mode" and updates more frequentl= y (Generally, at least every 4-6 minutes). 
= ATC's primary purpose is to separate IFR aircraft.= Other services, such as VFR flight following and= basic weather information, are provided on a workload-permitting basis.
Don't be confused by the terminology. Approach Control= facilities and consolidated TRACONs offer the same services and have the= same weather radar equipment.
One critical exception, however, is delay time.  WARP can be up to 10-12 minutes= old, where ASR approach controllers have near real time weather images.  This difference, if relied= on, could prove fatal.
Center Abbreviation
Center Name
Z= AB
A= lbuquerque
Z= AN
A= nchorage
Z= AU
C= hicago
Z= BW
B= oston
Z= DC
W= ashington
Z= DV
D= enver
Z= FW
D= allas-Ft Worth
Z= HN
H= onolulu
Z= HU
H= ouston
= ZID
I= ndianapolis
Z= JX
J= acksonville
ZKC
K= ansas City
Z= LA
L= os Angeles
ZLC
S= alt Lake City
Z= MA
M= iami
ZME
M= emphis
Z= MP
M= inneapolis
ZNY
N= ew York
Z= OA
O= akland
ZOB
C= leveland
Z= SE
S= eattle
ZTL
A= tlanta
 
 
As PIC you= are responsible and need to be aware of FAR 91.123, PIC authority= and how it relates to weather avoidance and other safety concerns:=
Compliance with ATC clearances and instructions.
(a) When an ATC clearance has been obtained, no pilot in command may devia= te from that clearance unless an amended clearance is obtained, an emergen= cy exists, or the deviation is in response to a traffic alert and collisio= n avoidance system resolution advisory. However, except in Class A airspac= e, a pilot may cancel an IFR flight plan if the operation is being conduct= ed in VFR weather conditions. When a pilot is uncertain of an ATC clearanc= e, that pilot shall immediately request clarification from ATC.

(b) Except in an emergency, no person may operate an aircraft contrary to an ATC instruction in an area in which air traffic= control is exercised.

(c) Each pilot in command who, in an emergency, or in response to a traffi= c alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory, deviates from= an ATC clearance or instruction shall notify ATC of that deviation as soo= n as possible.

(d) Each pilot in command who (though not deviating from a rule of this su= bpart) is given priority by ATC in an emergency, shall submit a detailed= report of that emergency within 48 hours to the manager of that ATC facil= ity, if requested by ATC.

(e) Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person operating an aircraft ma= y operate that aircraft according to any clearance or instruction that has= been issued to the pilot of another aircraft for radar air traffic contro= l purposes.
FAA= recommendations:
The= Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) &= nbsp;section, 7-1-30 has information regarding thunderstorm avoidan= ce. Below is an excerpt from the AIM.
<= SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family:= 'Times New Roman'">Thunderstorm Flying
= a. Above all, remember this: never regard= any thunderstorm "lightly" even when radar observers report the echoes ar= e of light intensity. Avoiding thunderstorms is the best policy. Following= are some Do's and Don'ts of thunderstorm avoidance:
= 1. Don't land or takeoff in the face of an= approaching thunderstorm. A sudden gust front of low level turbulence cou= ld cause loss of control.
= 2. Don't attempt to fly under a thunde rstorm even if you can see through to the other side. Turbulence and wind= shear under the storm could be disastrous.
= 3. Don't fly without airborne radar into a= cloud mass containing scattered embedded thunderstorms. Scattered thunder= storms not embedded usually can be visually circumnavigated.
= 4. Don't trust the visual appearance to be= a reliable indicator of the turbulence inside a thunderstorm. =
= 5. Do avoid any thunderstorm by at least 20= miles.
Do clear the top of a known or suspect= ed severe thunderstorm by at least 1,000 feet altitude for each 10 knots= of wind speed at the cloud top. This should exceed the altitude capabilit= y of most aircraft.
= 7. Do circumnavigate the entire area if the= area has 6/10 thunderstorm coverage.
= 8. Do remember that vivid and frequent ligh= tning indicates the probability of a strong thunderstorm.
= 9. Do regard as extremely hazardous any thu= nderstorm with tops 35,000 feet or=3D2 0higher whether the top is visually sighted or determined by radar. <= /o:p>
= 10. Turn up cockpit lights to highest inten= sity to lessen temporary blindness from lightning.
= 11. If using automatic pilot, disengage alt= itude hold mode and speed hold mode. The automatic altitude and speed cont= rols will increase maneuvers of the aircraft thus increasing structural st= ress.
= 12. If using airborne radar, tilt the anten= na up and down occasionally. This will permit you to detect other thunders= torm activity at altitudes other than the one being flown.
The= FAA says:
If= you cannot avoid penetrating a thunderstorm, following are some Do's befo= re entering the storm:
= 1. Tighten your safety belt, put on your sh= oulder harness if you have one and secure all loose objects.
= 2. Plan and hold your course to take you th= rough the storm in a minimum time.
= 3. To avoid the most critical icing, esta= blish a penetration altitude below the freezing level or above the level= of minus 15 degrees Celsius.
= 4. Verify that pitot heat is on and turn on= carburetor heat or jet engine anti-ice. Icing can be rapid at any altitud= e and cause almost instantaneous power failure and/or loss of airspeed ind= ication.
= 5. Establish power settings for turbulence= penetration airspeed recommended in your aircraft manual.
= 6. Turn up cockpit lights to highest intens= ity to lessen temporary blindness from lightning.
= 7. If using automatic pilot, disengage alti= tude hold mode and speed hold mode. The automatic altitude and speed contr= ols will increase maneuvers of the aircraft thus increasing structural str= ess.
= 8. If using airborne radar, tilt the antenn= a up and down occasionally. This will permit you to detect other thunderst= orm activity at altitudes other than the one being flown.
<= FONT size=3D3>Following are some Do's and Don'ts during the thunderstorm= penetration:
= 1. Do keep your eyes on your instru ments. Looking outside the cockpit can increase danger of temporary blindn= ess from lightning.
= 2. Don't change power settings; maintain se= ttings for the recommended turbulence penetration airspeed.
= 3. Don't attempt to maintain constant altit= ude; let the aircraft "ride the waves."
= 4. Don't turn back once you are in the thun= derstorm. A straight course through the storm most likely will get you out= of the hazards most quickly. In addition, turning maneuvers increase stre= ss on the aircraft.
Whatever you do, assure that= you are not flying into an area of thunderstorms.  The consequences are extreme.  The question to be asked is how will a Lancair= perform below Va in extreme Turbulence?=  



Thank you,

Peter Zaccagnino
HP-AT.com, Inc
Peter@hp-at.com
1046 River Ave
Flemington, NJ 08822
908 391 2001 ----------MB_8CB90427AEDFD8C_7DC_3053_webmail-dx18.sysops.aol.com--