Downright Scary...

In article JSmGc.14184$JR4.8572@attbi_s54, Jay Honeck wrote:
Whilst supping a cold one with friends at our hangar not long ago, a
short-lived yet intense summer storm blew through. High winds, heavy rain,
and impressive lightning caused us to lower the door a tad, but didn't deter
us from our appointed beers.

Right as the storm passed, we watched in amazement as a Skyhawk entered
downwind for Rwy 12. We all commented how we were glad not to have been in
that poor shmuck's shoes, and then returned to our conversation.
[snip]

By coincidence, Jay, you posted this the day I was on my way to your
hotel. We had stopped in South Bend for lunch, and I was looking at
the weather radar. There was a nice curling line of yellow forming
just around Iowa City. It looked like I could fly South around the
line and still get to the night's destination.

Tina's Weather Advice: whenever you're not sure what the weather's
doing, grab a local who seems to have more experience and ask them. So,
I grabbed a corporate pilot we'd been chatting with earlier. He said it
looked like the line would probably extend along the curving track
(rotating around a low, moving NE). Suggested we try going to Peoria
instead (well short of the line) and then getting a weather update
there. That suggestion immediately felt right.

We hung around a little longer. Sure enough, the storm seemed to be
developing the way he was saying. We launched for Peoria, landed there
and got the update. Then stayed there for the night, after a very
smooth ride and only one deviation around a nasty-looking cloud.

I've always felt you can't teach good judgement, but in this case I've
been fortunate enough to have some people point out the general
direction.

I've valued the good avice I've gotten. I think it's worth the effort
to *tactfully* point out a newbie pilot's flawed reasoning. Maybe he
didn't know better, maybe he did but got in over his head and didn't
want to admit it. It's still worth discussing.


Morris (hoping to stop by on the return trip next week)