TURBULENCE

1. TURBULENCE SAFELY COPING WITH THOSE BUMPY DAYS THE SATURDAY MORNING CREW BEN McQUILLAN FEBRUARY 20, 2010

2. WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TURBULENCE? FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION STATISTICS FOR AIRLINE OPERATIONS • ESTIMATED 10,000 MINOR INJURIES PER YEAR DUE TO TURBULENCE (4,500 IN U.S.) • FROM 2003-2005, 57 SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO TURBULENCE IN U.S. • 6 TURBULENCE CAUSED DEATHS WORLDWIDE SINCE 1980

3. WHAT TO TAKE HOME FROM THIS SEMINAR… • A SLIGHTLY MORE PROFESSIONAL APPROACH TO YOUR PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING • AN ENHANCED LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE TO USE WHEN BRIEFING YOUR PASSENGERS • A CALM AWARENESS OF WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU START GETTING KICKED AROUND

4. WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN “AIR POCKET”!!! • THERMAL UPDRAFTS • STRONG TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS • WIND SHEAR AREAS • FRONTAL ACTIVITY • MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY • CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY • MECHANICAL TURBULENCE • FIRST LESSON FOR A STUDENT PILOT!!!

5. TERMINOLOGY (DURATION) • OCCASIONAL • LESS THAN 1/3 OF THE OVERALL TIME • INTERMITTENT • BETWEEN 1/3 & 2/3 OF THE OVERALL TIME • CONTINUOUS • MORE THAN 2/3 OF THE OVERALL TIME

6. TERMINOLOGY (INTENSITY) • LIGHT • SLIGHT AND/OR ERRATIC CHANGES • MODERATE • BIGGER BUMPS, GREATER CHANGES, BUT AIRCRAFT REMAINS IN POSITIVE CONTROL • SEVERE • LARGE & ABRUPT CHANGES, POSSIBLE MOMENTARY LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL • EXTREME • VIOLENT CHANGES & MOVEMENTS, IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL, LIKELY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE

7. TERMINOLOGY(CHOP VS. TURBULENCE) • LIGHT CHOP IS A GENTLE, RHYTHMIC BUMPINESS THAT DOES NOT AFFECT ATTITUDE, ALTITUDE, OR CONTROL • JUST LIKE A “CHOPPY” DAY ON A MINNESOTA LAKE • MODERATE CHOP IS SIMILAR TO LIGHT, BUT THE BUMPS ARE BIT MORE INTENSE; STILL NOT NOTICABLY AFFECTING ATTITUDE, ALTITUDE, OR CONTROL • JUST LIKE A SPRING DAY ON A MINNESOTA ROAD • TURBULENCEWILL AFFECT ATTITUDE, ALTITUDE, & AIRCRAFT CONTROL

8. FORECAST TURBULENCE • AIRMET’S FORECAST LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE • TEXTUAL PRESENTATION • GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION • VERY ACCURATE • COMMON TO SEE AIRMET TANGO’S ON GUSTY DAYS FOR POSSIBLE MODERATE TURBULENCE AT LOW ALTITUDES

9. AIRMET • AIRMET TURB...WA OR FROM 40E SEA TO 40SE PDX TO ONP TO 20SSE HQM TO 40E SEA MOD TURB BLW 100. CONDS DVLPG 15-18Z. CONDS CONTG BYD 21Z THRU 03Z. • AIRMET TURB...MN WI LS LM MI FROM 30W INL TO 50SW DXO TO 40W GRR TO 130ESE GRB TO FOW TO 30W INL MOD TURB BTN 060 AND 150. CONDS CONTG BYD 21Z THRU 03Z.

11. FORECAST TURBULENCE • SIGMET’S FORECAST SEVERE TURBULENCE • CONVECTIVE SIGMET’S WILL INCLUDE TURBULENCE DUE TO TUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY

12. REPORTED TURBULENCE • PIREPS ARE THE ONLY INDICATION THAT TURBULENCE ACTUALLY EXISTS • CHECK THESE PRE-FLIGHT, ESPECIALLY WITH PASSENGERS ON BOARD • MAKE A PIREP WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE TURBULENCE TO ASSIST OTHER PILOTS

13. PIREP • RMG UA /OV RMG /TM 1537 /FL080 /TP BE35 /TA 00 /TB MOD 001-050 /RM LLWS 47A SMOOTH 050-080 • CRP UA /OV CRP360030/TM 1605/FL300/TP MD80/TB MOD CHOP • MNN UA /OV BUD103014 /TM 1626 /FL060 /TP BE58 /SK TOP042/OVC060-TOP080 /TA M05 /TB LGT CHOP /IC TRACE MX

15. TAF • KMSP 012338Z 0200/0306 08008KT 1SM -SN BR OVC018 WS 017/34027FM020400 07006KT 1 1/2SM -SN BR OVC013FM020600 06004KT 3SM -SN BR OVC007FM021000 01004KT 4SM -SN BR OVC007FM021600 33005KT 6SM BR OVC010 WIND SHEAR ZONE GUARANTEES AN ISOLATED TURBULENT AREA

16. VISUAL INDICATIONS • CUMULUS & CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS • THAT MOISTURE’S GOING UP FOR A REASON • MATURE STAGES HAVE VARYING STAGES OF UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS TO CONTEND WITH • TURBULENCE IS POSSIBLE IN, ABOVE, BELOW, AND AROUND THESE FORMATIONS • LENTICULAR CLOUD FORMATIONS • TEND TO CAP TOPS OF STRONG MOUNTAIN WAVE OR FRONTAL WAVE ACTION • EXPECT MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE

19. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CAPTAIN • PROFESSIONALLY BRIEF YOUR PASSENGERS • WHAT TO EXPECT ON A BUMPY DAY • A CONFIDENT ASSURANCE OF SAFETY • USE OF SEAT BELTS & SHOULDER HARNESSES • LOCATION & USE OF “SIC-SACS”

20. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE TURBULENCE • REDUCE POWER & BEGIN SLOWING THE AIRPLANE DOWN TOWARD ITS TURBULENCE/ MANEUVERING AIRSPEED • FOR MODERATE CHOP, MODERATE TURBULENCE OR WORSE; CONSIDER DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPILOT • ALLOWS POSITIVE, REAL-TIME CONTROL; NOT DELAYED AND REACTIONAL • ALLOWS YOU TO “RIDE” UPDRAFTS & DOWNDRAFTS TO ACCOMMODATE A CONSTANT AIRSPEED

21. AIRSPEED (INDICATED) • VNO: MAXIMUM STRUCTURAL CRUISING AIRSPEED • TOP OF THE GREEN ARC/ BOTTOM OF THE YELLOW ARC • PUBLISHED TURBULENCE PENETRATION AIRSPEED • FIND IT IN THE LIMITATIONS SECTION OF YOUR POH • YOU MAY NOT HAVE ONE IN YOUR POH

22. INDICATED AIRSPEEDS VNO: 165 KIAS PUBLISHED TURB PEN: 130 KIAS

23. AIRSPEED (INDICATED) CONT… • VA: MAXIMUM MANEUVERING AIRSPEED • INDICATED AIRSPEED, NOT TRUE AIRSPEED • @ OR BELOW VA IS SUFFICIENT FOR FULL & ABRUPT CONTROL INPUTS…OR TURBULENCE • REMEMBER, PUBLISHED VA IS BASED ON MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT • VA GETS TO BE A SLOWER AIRSPEED AS WEIGHT GOES DOWN

24. MAX MANEUVERING AIRSPEED IN THE ABSENCE OF A TURB PEN SPEED… WEIGHT GOES DOWN; VA GOES DOWN REDUCED WEIGHT VA: ≈ 105 KIAS MTOW VA: 120 KIAS

25. EXIT THE TURBULENT CONDITIONS • IFR • ADVISE ATC OF THE TURBULENCE • REQUEST A DIFFERENT ALTITUDE • ASK FOR REPORTS AT OTHER ALTITUDES & IN OTHER LOCATIONS (DOWN THE ROAD A FEW MILES) • CONSIDER A DIVERSION IF THE TURBULENCE IS A HAZARD & THERE IS NO INDICATION OF IT LETTING UP • ALLOW MORE SPACE FOR WEATHER AVOIDANCE • VFR • CHANGE ALTITUDE • CONSIDER DIVERSION

26. MECHANICAL TURBULENCE • EFFECT OBSTRUCTIONS HAVE ON WIND • MOUNTAIN PEAKS • HILLS & VALLEYS • HANGARS & BUILDINGS • TALL TREES • FELT ON LEEWARD SIDE OF OBSTRUCTION • COMMON ON RUNWAY 28R WITH A NORTH WIND

29. COPING WITH MECHANICAL TURBULENCE • CARRY A FEW EXTRA KNOTS ON LIFT-OFF • ADD HALF THE GUST FACTOR ON APPROACH TO LAND • BE READY TO COMPENSATE FOR CHANGES IN AIRSPEED AND/OR AIRCRAFT ATTITUDE

30. TRAINING & PRACTICE • FIND A BUMPY DAY, MORE THAN NORMAL • CHECK THE AIRMET TANGO’S • A 15 GUST 25 KNOT DAY • 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON IN JULY • STAY LOW ENOUGH TO REALLY GET KICKED AROUND • SLOW THE AIRPLANE TO, OR BELOW VA • PRACTICE “RIDING THE WAVES” TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT INDICATED AIRSPEED

31. JOIN US NEXT SATURDAY FOR: AVIATION INSURANCE…EXPLAINED • JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER & DOWNLOAD THIS PRESENTATION @ www.inflightpilottraining.com SATURDAY SEMINARS PAGE • FLY SAFE!