Suggestions on flight to Key West/Bahamas.

[Ron Lee]

I am considering a flight to Key West and the Bahamas but there still
seesm to be a lot of thunderstorm activity in the south/east now.
Combined with normal haze and it is not appealing to me right now. I
am used to 50-100 mile visibility so I would prefer to wait until the
thunderstorms are not a widespread event...and ideally with visibility
better than in the summer.

Is October a better time to try this? Will I have to wait until a
cold front passes to get better visibility.

Ron Lee

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Ron Lee wrote:
> I am considering a flight to Key West and the Bahamas but there still
> seesm to be a lot of thunderstorm activity in the south/east now.
> Combined with normal haze and it is not appealing to me right now. I
> am used to 50-100 mile visibility so I would prefer to wait until the
> thunderstorms are not a widespread event...and ideally with visibility
> better than in the summer.
>
> Is October a better time to try this? Will I have to wait until a
> cold front passes to get better visibility.


You've picked the height of the hurricane season. November will be better than
either September or October. IFR flying in the Bahamas tends to be a local
event, except at night, then it's everywhere (by law).

How long would you be staying? You have a lot more flexibility with a shorter
stay or an instrument rating. If I couldn't find VFR all along the route, I'd
much rather have VFR going into the Bahamas and IFR coming back into the states.
IFR flying can be a real PITA trying to get into the family islands; not so bad
for Nassau or Freeport.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

[Ron Lee]

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com> wrote:

>You've picked the height of the hurricane season. November will be better than
>either September or October. IFR flying in the Bahamas tends to be a local
>event, except at night, then it's everywhere (by law).

I understand hurricanes. I can watch their expected path. It is
widespread thunderstorms and visibility limiting haze that concerns
me.

>How long would you be staying? You have a lot more flexibility with a shorter
>stay or an instrument rating. If I couldn't find VFR all along the route, I'd
>much rather have VFR going into the Bahamas and IFR coming back into the states.
>IFR flying can be a real PITA trying to get into the family islands; not so bad
>for Nassau or Freeport.

VFR only. It may be a few hour trip. Get there. Sit on a beach for
a bit then head back If I find a reason to stay longer maybe an
overnighter.

Ron Lee

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Ron Lee wrote:
> "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com> wrote:
>
>> You've picked the height of the hurricane season. November will be better
>> than either September or October. IFR flying in the Bahamas tends to be a
>> local event, except at night, then it's everywhere (by law).
>
> I understand hurricanes. I can watch their expected path. It is
> widespread thunderstorms and visibility limiting haze that concerns
> me.


Well, that's what you get with hurricanes, is it not? Also frontal passage.


> VFR only. It may be a few hour trip. Get there. Sit on a beach for
> a bit then head back If I find a reason to stay longer maybe an
> overnighter.



Bimini is only about half an hour from Ft. Lauderdale.... even in a C-172.
Monday or Tuesday of next week will probably be good.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

[Ron Lee]

>You've picked the height of the hurricane season. November will be better than
>either September or October. IFR flying in the Bahamas tends to be a local
>event, except at night, then it's everywhere (by law).

I just found data that confirms November as being better mainly from a
lightning strike (thinderstorm) point of view


http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tbw/information/ltg/ltg2.gif

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tbw/information/ltg/ltg3.gif

If I interpret them correct, some part of October is a factor of ten
better than even September (Less thunderstorm activity). Then
November and December are better still.

Ron Lee

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Ron Lee wrote:
>> You've picked the height of the hurricane season. November will be better
>> than either September or October. IFR flying in the Bahamas tends to be a
>> local event, except at night, then it's everywhere (by law).
>
> I just found data that confirms November as being better mainly from a
> lightning strike (thinderstorm) point of view
>
>
> http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tbw/information/ltg/ltg2.gif
>
> http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tbw/information/ltg/ltg3.gif
>
> If I interpret them correct, some part of October is a factor of ten
> better than even September (Less thunderstorm activity). Then
> November and December are better still.


All true... though I have flown in the vicinity of thunderstorms in mid December
in the very flat state of Florida. A very strange thing to my way of
thinking...

What are you going to fly and where, specifically? I've got a bunch of time
flying down there overwater in single engine aircraft. No guts, no glory. <G>


--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

[Ron Lee]

>What are you going to fly and where, specifically? I've got a bunch of time
>flying down there overwater in single engine aircraft. No guts, no glory. <G>

RV-6A. Right now I am thinking Freeport but I need to research the
country. I saw a Pink Sands beach that looks good but the hotel cost
is out of my league (have not checked conversion to USD yet). It
won't be a long stay. I have to go to Kitty Hawk and back home in a
reasonable time.

RonLee

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Ron Lee wrote:
>> What are you going to fly and where, specifically? I've got a bunch of time
>> flying down there overwater in single engine aircraft. No guts, no glory.
>> <G>
>
> RV-6A. Right now I am thinking Freeport but I need to research the
> country. I saw a Pink Sands beach that looks good but the hotel cost
> is out of my league (have not checked conversion to USD yet). It
> won't be a long stay. I have to go to Kitty Hawk and back home in a
> reasonable time.


Bahamian dollars are at parity with US dollars. In fact, they take them
interchangeably in every place I've ever been down there.




--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com