Is it dangerous to fly through a thunderstorm?

Yes, they can be dangerous to commercial aircraft as they can contain hail, heavy rain, lightning, ice, severe winds and super cooled water droplets, all of which may cause damage to the aircraft in extreme conditions. Pilots therefore do their very best to avoid flying through thunderstorms wherever possible.

What are the risks associated with thunderstorms?

Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can lead to flash flooding, which is the number one thunderstorm killer. Strong winds, hail, and tornadoes are also dangers associated with some thunderstorms.

What do you do if you accidentally fly into a thunderstorm?

Immediate Action Items

1. Try to hold a level attitude; accept altitude excursions.
2. Slow to VA (maneuvering speed)
3. With retractable-gear airplanes, extend landing gear.
4. Disconnect autopilot.
5. Turn on anti-ice equipment.
6. Tighten seat belts and turn up cabin lights.
7. Maintain heading as best you can.

What precautions will you take during thunderstorms?

Protect Yourself from Lightning Strikes

• Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges, or peaks.
• Never lie flat on the ground.
• Never shelter under an isolated tree.
• Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter.
• Immediately get out of and away from ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water.

How far should you fly from thunderstorms?

Pilots should observe the following rules for any flight routed even potentially near actual or possible thunder- storm activity: Avoid all thunderstorms. Never go closer than 5 miles to any visible storm cloud with overhanging areas, and strongly consider increas- ing that distance to 20 miles or more.

How far from a severe thunderstorm it is possible to encounter turbulence?

Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) & Sucker Holes For example, both the USA and Canadian “Aeronautical Info Manual” (AIM, 2017) recommends that pilots get no closer than 20 nautical miles to any severe thunderstorm, including any thunderstorm with tops at 35,000 feet or higher.

What are the hazards of thunderstorms to aviation?

Thunderstorms contain many hazards to aviation such as the following: Lightning: By definition, all thunderstorms contain lightning. Although the NWS will mention lightning as a hazard in some warning products, lightning is not a criteria used to determine if a thunderstorm is severe. As an aviator, you

How close can a pilot fly to a thunderstorm?

Pilots should observe the following rules for any flight routed even potentially near actual or possible thunder- storm activity: • Avoid all thunderstorms. • Never go closer than 5 miles to any visible storm cloud with overhanging areas, and strongly consider increas- ing that distance to 20 miles or more.

How close can you get to a storm cloud?

• Never go closer than 5 miles to any visible storm cloud with overhanging areas, and strongly consider increas- ing that distance to 20 miles or more. You can encounter hail and violent turbulence anywhere within 20 miles of very strong thunderstorms.

Why do airplanes get iced up during thunderstorms?

Icing: Because thunderstorms are driven, in part, from the conversion of liquid water to ice, pilots can expect to find airframe icing in all thunderstorms. Although all forms of icing are possible, clear icing, caused by larger drops of supercooled water, is the most common. Ice accumulation can be rapid.