Pilot Weather Wisdom

Dew point is the temperature at which condensation starts at a constant pressure. (Make sure you include “at a constant pressure” when answering your exam question on dew point). Dew point is found on METARs immediately after the ambient temperature. Pilots should always be looking at temperature/dew point spreads. Knowing the temperature and dew point…

Did a 30 minute podcast interview with Ryan Van Haren co-founder/owner of Cardinal Aviation located on Canada’s West coast.

Pilots learn to watch out for ominous low pressure systems and troughs and generally welcome highs and ridges. Highs and ridges induce pleasantness, sunny outlooks, fair weather, harmony, a sense of well-being. “Feel high in a high and low in a low.” (Just made that up). But high pressure systems can be massive in area,…

We are taught to be skeptical of the weatherman. After all, you received 10 inches of snow instead of the 8 inches they promised. They predicted cloud bases to be 3,000 feet, but they started at 2,500 feet. Maybe unlimited visibility was assured, but haze reduced visibility to six miles. How could they be so…

When flying in a two-pilot flight deck you can tell whether your partner is on their game. No, I am not referring to competence – that’s another story, but whether they are having a good day. You see it with the best of pilots. But this downfall occurs in most facets of life. I also…

While sitting home under the siege of COVID-19, it was time to finish book#5, PILOT WEATHER WISDOM. By posting excerpts of the book for feedback, I hope to enhance things from your suggestions and experiences. Do you know your scales? Nope, not talking about music. Weather is categorized based on scales. Some refer to it…

Hello and welcome to Pilot Weather Wisdom. There are tons of aviation weather books but they dwell in theory, including my two. Not many take you to another realm of pondering weather and imparting wisdom. There exists one iconic book, Weather Flying by Robert Buck. I am presently writing a sequel to his. This will…

In the midst of COVID-19 there emerged a blog, Pilot Weather Wisdom. Follow me and I’ll follow you…

Captain D is a bi-aviator. Yup, I talk both Boeing and Airbus. I know both Canadian and American weather and its infrastructure. Yes, there is a difference. I parley in English and pilot french. Do you see the cumulus granite?