AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2021 - 34

BRIEFING
AOPA SWEEPSTAKES /
Visit aopa.org/
sweeps for full
sweepstakes rules
and a list of generous
contributors.
Despite ominous-looking weather
radar, the Tiger was able to
continue direct to Frederick,
Maryland (FDK), after exiting the
Washington, D.C., Special Flight
Rules Area.
Show me the way
SiriusXM Aviation Weather offers a safe path
BY KOLLIN STAGNITO
SCAT TERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE BUILDING in the humid,
sticky summer afternoon as the AOPA Aviator Showcase wound
down in Manassas, Virginia (HEF). After answering hundreds of
great member questions about the AOPA Sweepstakes Grumman
Tiger, it was time to fly home to headquarters in Frederick,
Maryland (FDK). AOPA staffers Dave Roy and Tom Zecha
departed shortly after in AOPA's Beechcraft Bonanza.
After exiting the Washington, D.C., Special Flight Rules Area
to the west and turning north toward FDK, I noticed a small yellow
cell on the Garmin G3X Touch flight display, building 30 miles
to the southwest of Frederick heading northeast. The storm and
I appeared to be heading to the same place, but who would arrive
first-and should I even consider trying to outrun it?
I continued because my view out of the aircraft did not match
what I was seeing on the datalink weather radar. I was looking
for the animation feature on the display when I remembered
SiriusXM Aviation's radar enables me to toggle between composite
and base reflectivity in flight. Composite reflectivity is what
you also see with ADS-B weather-it is a composite of all radar
echo returns from the bottom to the top of the cloud. This depiction
made continuing the flight appear questionable. The base
34
AOPA PILOT / November 2021
reflectivity (also called lowest tilt), however, accurately depicted
what I was seeing ahead at my lower altitude: an area of light rain
with no heavy showers or thunderstorms. The yellow returns were
higher up in the clouds and not falling to the ground. I proceeded
with caution, and greater confidence.
Roy and Zecha landed in the Bonanza about 30 minutes
later. They asked what route I took, and I told them direct.
They only had access to ADS-B weather, which made the situation
look more concerning. To avoid what they thought was a
heavy storm heading toward Frederick, they skirted the yellow
cell to the west and flew a big clockwise circle to avoid flying
in its path. Only once they got closer to the cell did they realize
there was little to no precipitation reaching the ground-something
I was able to determine from base reflectivity returns.
They spent extra time unnecessarily circumventing what they
thought was a storm.
SiriusXM Aviation Weather is a premium product-both
in terms of features and price-but situations like this show its
value in safety, time, and unburnt fuel. The winner of the sweepstakes
airplane will enjoy a free one-year subscription to SiriusXM
Aviation Weather and Entertainment. kollin.stagnito@aopa.org
FLIGHTAWARE
http://www.aopa.org/
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2021

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