Did a Tampa turn today. The flight down was uneventful even though we had to cross three jet streams.
On the return leg we noticed a significant build up along our track over Georgia. We received a datalink from dispatch stating a Sigmet (significant meteorology) was issued for thunderstorms in the Savanna area. They were topped at 42,000 feet with possible one inch hail. We were on vectors departing from Tampa and then the controller clears us direct Savanna. We told him it would take us directly into the storm. We both saw things were clear upwind of the"build up" so we wanted to head west. Any pilot knows to stay upwind especially when there was a jet stream clocked at 120 knots. In other words, the CB would have moved quickly over our track even though we were "painting it" about 10 miles away. We climbed to 35,000 and the tops were well above. We entered the cloud and got the shit kicked out of us. Lucky I called the F/As ahead of time and they secured the carts. They said they just made it back to their seats. I assumed ATC had other aircraft go through the area so I thought it would work out. Never again, next time we go where it makes sense. Not downwind of a CB topping at 42,000 feet.
)
8 comments:
> Any pilot knows to stay upwind especially when there was a jet stream clocked at 120 knots.
So how did the ATC negotiation process result in you guys going through it anyway?
Hello ..just taught us here at Seneca some high level met!! it was really informative and i learned a lot..thanks!
just a thought...if ATC used the reasoning of airplanes before you taking the east route to make you go east as well...I wonder what they used to reason those airplanes to initially go east?
Maybe weather wasn't so bad yet.
FCHE. My F/O was working the radios and we queried ATC at least three times about the direction. They claimed it was better to go east since most of the other aircraft were going that way.
After others heard our reports of continous moderate turbulence the requests for vectors to the west increased. I felt like telling ATC off but cursed in the flight deck instead. A lesson was learned.
KLYSTRON. It was a pleasure teaching you guys. It's nice to see keen, upbeat, optimistic pilots. It's a change from the negativity I see and hear at work.
I think many senior pilots should attend a flight school to realize how good they actaully got it.
The first airplanes heading east were probably unscathed because as you said, things hadn't developed. That was in the back of my mind, heading downwind of developing storms. Not a msart thing to do.
Although a landlubber now, I remember an old flight instructor's lesson: you are in command, not the voice over the radio.
Controllers cannot see the conditions that you can in the air. But any reason aside, it is you, the Captain, who bears the ultimate responsibility. Not some voice on the ground. He/She won't be picking through the rubble.
If this principle is not driven home in experience and training, I shudder to consider how lucky crews and their passengers are.
Controllers are a smart lot, but decisions as to flight paths around questionable weather should be left to crews to make alone.
Doug:
Reading that makes me a bit angry.
(I'm sure i'm not the only one of
your bloggers who feels this way)
Was the controller required to fill
out some sort of incident report?
Do they even know what almost hap-
pened?
Does their supervisor know? Are
all radio transmissions monitored?
Doug:
Reading that makes me a bit angry.
(I'm sure i'm not the only one of
your bloggers who feels this way)
Was the controller required to fill
out some sort of incident report?
Do they even know what almost hap-
pened?
Does their supervisor know? Are
all radio transmissions monitored?
Mark. I agree with you 100 percent! But like most situations it's usually more than one thing. We saw the thunderstorms about 150 miles ahead plus we received a SIGMET from our dispatch giving us a heads up. But we were told to switch contollers. The next controller was very busy all while we were getting closer and closer. All pilots know to start the deviation early. We started negotiating vectors but the controller was reluctant. This caused us to be taken aback. Usually they are very accomodating.
We assumed that other aircraft must have gone through the area and it wouldn't be that bad. I had just enough time to give the flight attendants a heads up.
The same thing almost happened today and I was wired to say "no."
Luckily the tops were at 35,000 feet and we flew over them in the clear at 37,000 feet although bumps were encountered for 20 minutes.
Last week's incident made this 16,000 hour pilot a lot more wiser.
Thanks for your post and words of wisdom!
Captain Doug
Post a Comment