If you are starting your career in aviation, growing familiar with your environment and the usual weather patterns is crucial to learning to be a safe and reliable pilot. Being able to quickly identify and respond to shifts in the weather is a vital skill and one that could make the difference between being a good pilot and a poor one–which is important if you want to fly commercially.
For those beginning the journey in aviation who call Florida their home, you may be hungry for tips on how to fly in Florida’s weather. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you grow more familiar with the skies over your home and be more confident when you are in the skies above and fly safely.
Check the Weather in Advance
This seems like an obvious tip, yet it goes without saying how crucial it is to check the weather before you take flight. You can check your local weather on sites like weather.com and can even search for your departure airport for the most accurate report (if not listed, then you can search for the city location).
If you select “hourly,” you will get a six-hour forecast where you can look for crucial information like wind speed and precipitation percentages. Wind Speed can affect your takeoff and landing, while higher precipitation will indicate a chance of rain, so don’t forget to check these figures before you climb into the cockpit and depart.
Look at Cruise Altitude Information
While Florida might be known as the sunshine state, it is also commonplace for stormy weather and tropical storms. If you open the “flight support” tab on fearofflying.com, you can select the turbulence forecast and any other information associated with the jet stream. Additionally, you can find information on thunderstorm activity and learn whether it may cause turbulence or otherwise affect your aircraft. The information will help you determine whether it is safe to fly over the storm, if you can find gaps to pass through it, or if it will be necessary to redirect your route to safer skies.
Fly in the Morning or Evening
When you are still learning, flying in ideal conditions will help you be more comfortable in the air as you grow as a pilot and learn to control your aircraft. One of the many things you will have to contend with is turbulence, which is ultimately unavoidable but still possible to mitigate.
With Florida being a hot place, as the ground begins to heat up, rising columns of air can cause turbulence—called thermal turbulence—which may affect your ability to hold altitude and can be frightening as a beginner. By flying in the morning or evening, you can avoid thermal turbulence and have a smoother experience in the skies.
Mind Your iPad Placement
This tip does not directly affect your ability to control your aircraft in the skies; however, it is quite easy to overlook until it is too late. Many pilots use iPads and other tablets to assist with navigation or check weather forecasts and patterns while in flight.
With Florida being such a hot place for much of the year, you need to be careful where you place your tablet; otherwise, it could overheat and leave it unusable. This can be problematic if you are counting on it for cubicle information, so make sure you place it somewhere safe and where it won’t overheat.
Airlink Flight School
If you are looking for a place to start your journey into aviation, Airlink Flight School offers high-quality curriculums that will help you become successful in the field. If you have any questions about the school or are ready to start flying, contact us today!