THUNDERSTORM AVOIDANCE

It’s simple: Airplanes and thunderstorms don’t mix. Flying through a Thunderstorm, especially in a light aircraft, can be deadly. Thunderstorms can produce airframe-shattering turbulence, damaging hail, sudden and dramatic wind shear, strong, gusty winds—sometimes as much as 20 miles from the edge of a cell. Never regard any thunderstorm lightly.

During the mature stage, Thunderstorms reach their greatest intensity. The heaviest rain and (sometimes) hail fall from the storm. The rain or hail will cause strong down currents of up to 2400 fpm. Up currents are very strong (may reach 10 000 fpm). Tops may rise at 5000 fpm or more.

• Don’t attempt to fly under a thunderstorm, even if you can see through to the other side. Turbulence and wind shear under the storm could be hazardous. In fact, there can be moderate to severe turbulence in, under, over and all around the cloud.

=> The best way to avoid a Thunderstorm is to decide on a heading change to navigate around it, request it from ATC, and if the heading you want is not forthcoming, you should advise ATC that you are altering heading for weather. You are not required to endanger the aircraft to comply with an ATC clearance of any kind. And getting close to a cell is endangering the aircraft.