Flight Training - March 2014 - 24

FLIGHT LESSON

By Stephen K. Hunter
FLIGHT LESSON offers the
opportunity for pilots to learn
from the experiences of others.

for our turn, and the controller agreed and
said he thought we should be well past
the westernmost of the three cells. The
random bumps we had been feeling had
become moderate turbulence that gradually worsened. The controller called us to
request we maintain our altitude. This was
the first time I remember ever responding
to a controller with the word "unable." We
had already slowed to maneuvering speed
and had begun to tuck loose items into seat
pockets as we bounced between 200 feet
above and 200 feet below our assigned
altitude. I confirmed with ATC that we
would not be able to maintain an assigned
altitude and said we would begin a turn to
the west. It was just as we began that turn
n 2007, a good friend and I were making almost weekly trips
that the faithful GPS updated the weather
from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to the Washington, D.C.,
picture and, to our shock, displayed a
area. On June 11 we had reason to fly to Langley AFB in Virginia fourth red, Mescalero-eating blob just to
as part of an ongoing project. We found ourselves scheduled in a our west. We were between cells and turn1967 T-41B Mescalero, a 210-horsepower Cessna 172E used by the U.S.
ing directly into the bigger of the two.
Army prior to being stabled in our humble aero club. It was a solid, reliThe turbulence had turned violent,
able machine for the 665-nautical mile, two-leg, IFR flight from Eglin
so we informed ATC we were turning
to Langley. The next day, when our business was complete, we finished back to the north. The instrument panel
our flight planning and headed out to the freshly fueled airplane.
was little more than a poorly lit blur. My
friend claimed the altimeter as his task,
We could see three thunderstorms
As we neared Atlanta, however, ATC
and I concentrated on keeping the top
across our route forming a dotted line
gave us vectors directly into a dark, flashof the airplane pointed toward the sky.
from southeast to southwest of Atlanta,
ing void that appeared on the GPS as a
After an eternity of wrestling our machine
and we knew we likely would have to plan large red splotch. Although the controller
back to the north, the turbulence began
a detour to the west. We expected these
assured us that he saw nothing in front of
to decrease, and we could see city lights
storms would die down in the evening, and us, we turned down the vector and asked
through towering converging clouds,
we would have little trouble working our
to make a turn to the west. In all of our
which looked like enormous draperies
way past their remnants with the help of
many transitions through the Atlanta area closing slowly. As the edges of the clouds
our weather-equipped portable GPS.
that summer we had never heard the radio met, we popped out the other side into
We stopped for food and fuel in Hickory, so active, so we assumed the controller
smooth, cloudless air.
North Carolina. While there, we diswas happy to bless our westerly detour.
Finally breathing, we climbed back to
cussed the three cells in our path between
My friend had commented earlier about our assigned altitude. Our GPS showed no
Macon and Atlanta. We independently
how much time it was taking for the GPS
new cells as we turned westward, but we
decided that the situation was not getto update weather information and had
contacted flight service just to make sure.
ting any better and agreed that we would
estimated a 10- to 15-minute lag between
After we were well past the fourth cell we
have to travel well to the west of Atlanta
weather image updates. We decided we
turned toward home and could see stars
before turning south. After discussing the
needed to be at least 20 miles to the west
above us and city lights below.
weather with flight service and studying
of what we had named the "third cell"
A couple of hours later, we were on the
the cells on the FBO computers, we devel- before we could feel confident in turning
ground cleaning up and fueling our sturdy
oped a plan-and a plan B, and a plan C. As toward home.
steed. We tied down and drove home to
the sun set we departed Hickory Regional
The world around the T-41 was inky
hug our respective wives and kids who,
Airport. After we picked up our clearance, dark with only glimpses of city lights peek- until this day, have heard nothing about
the GPS reaffirmed the location of the
ing through random holes in the clouds.
this flight other than that it took longer
three cells we had studied earlier.
As we got past the third cell we asked ATC than usual because of weather.

UNSEEN CELL

THE INCOMPLETE WEATHER PICTURE

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

ALEX WILLIAMSON

24 /

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Flight Training - March 2014

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