Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Freight, Part 91, Regional to learn WX

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web
There is a book published by USA Today. I don't have the title but a lot of people at my flying school have recommended it. It is not an aviation weather book but it explains weather. High Pressure, Low pressure, clouds, winds, storms, etc.
 
I would have to say that instructing instrument students is still one of my most favorite things to do on the side however sometimes the "best way" to learn about a certain subject cannot be narrowed down to one aspect of flying as I think the case is here-

Flying 135 you contend with quite abit of wx BUT as in any flying job the same holds true so I would have to say that the more "experience" you gain the better well versed one can be in a certain area.....(my opinion ! ! )-

C H E E R S

3 5 0
 
Wx theory-spend some time at one of the NWS offices; they've all the tools to flesh out the theory we were taught as students and can add local nuances of why wx behaves in a particlar fashion which might seem contrary to the general theory. It's their primary craft and the ones who've been at a station for some time have learned that the computer models are not gospel.

Instrument instructing- agree with the other posts that it expands ones own knowledge/understanding so long as one is willing to go get out there IN IT. How many students have gotten their instrument rating with only a handful of actual hours?? Same thing with instructing; one aught be progressive in experiencing more demanding weather.

Over the course of time, all pilots will experience different wx; however I think it widely accepted that freight hounds spend a greater percentage of their flight hours in the soup than other line pilots if for no other reason than short stage lengths within a geographical area that is wx impacted.
 
I had one hour of actual, when I got my ticket.
Hard to have confidence teaching students in actual conditions, when you only have one more hour of actual than they do.
FD
 
Single-Pilot IFR hauling freight in something unable to climb above the weather - i.e. 210, Baron, twin commander - preferably in an area with lots of ice and thunderstorms.

You'll never get this kind of experience teaching your local doctor how to fly instruments, although I agree teaching as CFII helps to build a solid understanding of how the procedures work.

The regional or jet freight route isn't as beneficial because the airplanes operated at those levels make weather flying a piece of cake (great autopilots, heated wings vs. boots, ability to quickly climb over most weather, better ground support systems, and most importantly - a second pilot to split the workload/decision making tasks with).

Fly safely
 
A two pilot airplane is a great way to build your experience. Just remember if you fly a cargo jet, you will be in the worst weather. The companies expect you to fly into almost any weather and they don't really care about excuses....
This comes from experience..
Falcondriver
 
Instructing instrument students is a good way to learn the fundementals of instrument flying, but rarely does it get you a lot of hard weather experience. In my opinion the place to do that is flying freight. The trick is to find an operator that uses well equipped (radar for tstms, boots for ice,etc.) and maintained equipment. Also if they don't force you to go when it's too bad, (yes there are times even freight planes shouldn't takeoff) that's a bonus. Luckily I was fortunate enough to fly for a carrier like that. I flew in the midwest for two years and saw just about every type of weather imaginable. Before I flew freight I could count the number of approaches I did to minimums on one hand. I feel much safer as an RJ captain having had the experiences I got while flying freight. It was a lot of work and I froze/sweated my rear off most of the time, but it was a blast.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top