flying through hail

Which is why you need something like the Collins WXR-2100:

WXR-2100 MultiScan_ThreatTrack_weather_radar.jpg
 
Originally Posted by MolaKule
Which is why you need something like the Collins WXR-2100:


LOL, Up until MIG21 BIS, they did not have radar screen let alone weather radar.
 
Originally Posted by 72te27
Hail can be drafted upwards and hurled out the top of a thunderstorm. As a result, it can be encountered miles from a thunderstorm. Simple avoiding thunderstorms may not necessarily avoid hail.


But we don't just "simply avoid" thunderstorms- we fly a long way away from them. At least 10 miles, but more if the upper level winds (or my eyeball estimation of the anvil) require.

Here's the guidance:

Circumnavigating Storms:
- Avoid the downwind (anvil) side of the storm by at least 1 mile for every knot of wind at that flight level.
- Flight Above a Thunderstorm Should be avoided, however, if this is not practical, attempt to vertically clear the cell by at least 5000 feet. The vertically propagating convective waves associated with both building and dissipating storms present a hazard that requires careful consideration and action.

You'll note that we don't fly above (because of hail and convection) unless we can't avoid it and even then, we are at least 5,000 feet above.

I got pummeled one night in an F-14.

We climbed to 50,000 feet to clear the line of cells vertically. We were at least 6,000 feet above the storms that were between us and home. No way to go between or around them. So, we chose to go over.

Still encountered severe turbulence - gains and losses of thousands of feet, aircraft tossed about in pitch and roll. Control in doubt. Full AB to maintain enough airspeed to avoid a stall.

Never again.

I'll never take an airliner over a cell, no matter how much clearance. I'll land somewhere else.
 
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Several years ago on my motorcycle I got into a bad thunderstorm. I ride with a armored riding suit, and the pea sized hail still hurt a lot. I made it to a carwash as the hail switched to intense rain. There was about an inch of hail when the rain hit, it was floating and clogging drains, making the road flood in places. I was standing beside the bike in the metal stall when I felt the electricity coming, the feeling was unmistakable but not describable. Then boom I was on the floor in a fetal position. I have no memory of being knocked down, but was not unconscious for more than a fraction of a second as the boom was still reverberating and my ears were ringing, even though I had not yet removed my helmet and ear plugs (that was a good thing) The car wash stall was full of smoke, water vapor or something and the smell of Ozone. I was very glad to be unhurt. I know I was not struck directly, but just that close you will feel things you never want to feel again. No harm though, that is what counts. I stood in that car wash for about 20 minutes, the town police stopped. I was afraid they were going to make me leave but he was just checking to see if I was OK. I told him the car wash took a direct hit, and he might want to call the owner. It was an experience I am kind of glad I had, but do not want to repeat. There was over a foot thick accumulations of hail left behind where the water piled up after the storm was over. I had to wait an additional few minutes before it was safe to ride. Missouri weather!!!! And that was by no means the worst rain I ever got into on the bike. It is a adventure. They do not call them a drenchearo for nothing.

I can only imagine how much worse this would be a 500 MPH in an airplane.

Rod
 
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Originally Posted by ragtoplvr
Several years ago on my motorcycle I got into a bad thunderstorm. I ride with a armored riding suit, and the pea sized hail still hurt a lot. I made it to a carwash as the hail switched to intense rain. There was about an inch of hail when the rain hit, it was floating and clogging drains, making the road flood in places. I was standing beside the bike in the metal stall when I felt the electricity coming, the feeling was unmistakable but not describable. Then boom I was on the floor in a fetal position. I have no memory of being knocked down, but was not unconscious for more than a fraction of a second as the boom was still reverberating and my ears were ringing, even though I had not yet removed my helmet and ear plugs (that was a good thing) The car wash stall was full of smoke, water vapor or something and the smell of Ozone. I was very glad to be unhurt. I know I was not struck directly, but just that close you will feel things you never want to feel again. No harm though, that is what counts. I stood in that car wash for about 20 minutes, the town police stopped. I was afraid they were going to make me leave but he was just checking to see if I was OK. I told him the car wash took a direct hit, and he might want to call the owner. It was an experience I am kind of glad I had, but do not want to repeat. There was over a foot thick accumulations of hail left behind where the water piled up after the storm was over. I had to wait an additional few minutes before it was safe to ride. Missouri weather!!!! And that was by no means the worst rain I ever got into on the bike. It is a adventure. They do not call them a drenchearo for nothing.

I can only imagine how much worse this would be a 500 MPH in an airplane.

Rod

You should see 2016 hail storm in Colorado Springs. 50,000 written off vehicles, siding all over the city, my neighbor could not get window glass for 4 weeks due to shortage, my roof was fixed completely finally in beginning of November (storm was in July).
Now the hail was size of baseball, and when it was approaching it sound like freight train coming from the South.
 
re: edyvw

Scott Crossfield was flying a Cessna 210T, not a C172.
Secondly, ATC didn’t vector him into the cell. He flew himself into it preferring to use his onboard data link weather.
I was airborne at the time and witnessed both the weather and his radio traffic exchange with ATC. I was approximately 50nm south going NW as he was traveling north. I was at 12,000ft zig zagging between cells in a PA32 Lance. The cells were moving at 60kts west to East in a line along a front and WERE NOT where they were depicted on data link weather. (I had an AnyWhere Map aviation app and XM satellite weather on a tablet computer). I convinced ATC to let me visually separate and navigate between the cells as the system was moving so fast. (I was going from Columbia SC to Memphis).
I heard Crossfields last transmission as he told ATC he was experiencing SEVERE turbulence and ATC replied that their radar indicated he was in an area of “maximum returns”. Moments later I heard a garbled transmission of which I could only understand “breaking up”. Moments later ATC attempts to contact him due to disappearance from radar were futile.
I heard later that witnesses saw the pieces of the plane fall from the sky. Also found out who it was...
I’ve used it as testimony for my flight students as to limitations of data link weather data... the lag that day would put you into the weather instead of avoiding it. Nothing beats a “heaping helping” of caution and the MK I eyeball.
I avoid CB’s by 20+nm. More if able.
 
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