How to Check for Weather Conditions Before and During Your Flight
There are a couple of ways to check the weather for disturbances such as mountain waves before you fly, mainly through observations and weather forecasts. There are also online weather resources, including the Aviation Weather Center and DUATS.

Observations:
• Metar – Airman’s meteorological reports
• Radar Summary Charts – Reports showing analyses of precipitation surface with cold fronts, warm fronts and areas of high or low pressure
• Surface Analysis Reports – Focus on areas of high or low pressure, as well as cold or warm fronts
• U.A. – Real-time reports from fellow pilots (recommended)

Weather Forecasts:
• 12/24-Hour Prognostic Reports – Show where cold fronts, warm fronts and areas of high or low pressure are going to move
• F.A. – Explains reasons for weather forecasts in different areas
• TAF’s Terminal Aerodrome Report – Provides expected future weather for area surrounding airports (not available for all airports)

Deciding Whether or Not to Fly – Know Before You Go
In addition to mountains waves, thunderstorms are also a serious danger to pilots during this time of year. You should always be ready to change your plans or land if you’re presented with scattered storms, as the pilot did on a recent SR22 flight from San Diego, CA to Sarasota, FL, which is pictured below.

The pilot used an Avidyne radio and XM Satellite Weather to predict the weather and made the important decision to land.  In order to make a proper go/no go decision, it is necessary to understand the weather and where and how it is generated, so you can effectively predict whether atmospheric changes are likely to occur in the areas where you will be flying. Pilots who are proficient at flying in different environments may also be able to take more risks, whereas inexperienced pilots are in greater danger when flying into mountain waves and other atmospheric disruptions. Pilots should always look at weather observations and forecasts before flying, recognize their personal limits and the limits of their plane, and be ready to make adjustments during the flight if necessary.

Durin­g peak air travel times in the United States, there are about 5,000 airplanes in the sky every hour. This translates to approximately 50,000 aircraft operating in our skies each day. The task of ensuring safe operations of commercial and private aircraft falls on air traffic controllers. The United States airspace is divided into 21 zones (centers), and each zone is divided into sectors.  SOCAL TRACON  is the largest and busiest in the U.S.; covers 62 airports, 9,000 sq miles, covers 20 miles north of Burbank down to the Mexican Border, and Catalina to SBD. Southern California TRACON has about 1,500,000 operations a year, closely followed by the New York, Potomac, Northern California, and Atlanta TRACON’s. Generally, there are four types of traffic flows controlled by TRACON controllers. These are departures, arrivals, overflights, and aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

Departure aircraft

Departure aircraft are received from the control tower from which the aircraft departs and are generally 1,000 feet (300 m) to 2,000 feet (610 m) high, climbing to a pre-determined altitude. The TRACON controller working this traffic is responsible for clearing all other TRACON traffic and, based on the route of flight, placing the departing aircraft on a track and in a geographical location (sometimes referred to as a “gate” or “exit”) that is set through agreements with the en-route center. This positioning is designed to allow the en-route center to integrate the aircraft into its traffic flow easily.

Arrival aircraft

Arrival aircraft other than Visual Flight Rules aircraft entering the area are received from the en-route center in compliance with pre-determined agreements on routing, altitude, speed, spacing, etc. The TRACON controller working this traffic will take control of the aircraft and blend it with other aircraft entering the center airspace from other areas or “gates” into a single, parallel or perpendicular final for a runway at any of the airports with the TRACON space. The spacing is critical to ensure the aircraft can land and clear the runway prior to the next aircraft touching down on the runway. The TRACON controller will do a hand-off to pass the flight communication to the approach airport tower. That tower controller may also request expanded spacing between aircraft to allow aircraft to depart or to cross the runway in use.

Overflight aircraft

Overflight aircraft are aircraft that enter the TRACON airspace at one point and exit the airspace at another without landing at an airport. They must be controlled in a manner that ensures they remain separated from the climbing and descending traffic that is moving in and out of the airport. Their route may be altered to ensure this is possible. When they are returned to the en-route center, they must be on the original routing unless a change has been coordinated.

VFR aircraft

If the class of airspace allows flight under VFR, such aircraft are handled as traffic permits. Controllers will provide traffic information to ensure safety with other aircraft, and may even positively separate VFR aircraft from other aircraft, depending on the class of airspace. Controllers spend extra time with these flights in order to avoid vectoring VFR aircraft into IMC. Controllers usually provide information for the pilot about traffic in the immediate vicinity and weather information. This ensures that separation from Instrument Flight

However, one of the great things about springtime in Tahoe is that the ski season lasts until the end of April or even into May at many of the resorts. So even as weather is warming up and the sunshine is reflecting off the clear blue of the lake, skiers and snowboarders still have access to world-class powder on a wide range of slopes.

If you’re still not sold on Lake Tahoe as a spring flight destination, consider a few features that make it a favorite for pilots around the country.

Why Lake Tahoe Is Among the Best Springtime Flight Destinations

• Lake Tahoe is one of the most popular destinations in the nation for all kinds of recreation and relaxation. Local amenities include hotels, casinos, golf courses and 18 resorts offering internationally renowned skiing and snowboarding.
• Pilots enjoy arriving at the local Truckee Airport because of its cross-wind landing, the opportunity to land in a high-altitude setting, reasonable avgas prices, a tasty café onsite and hourly shuttles to popular skiing and snowboarding destinations.
• Springtime in Tahoe provides a unique opportunity to enjoy fewer crowds, lower prices, softer snow and warmer weather.
• The lake itself is a major attraction, offering a variety of activities, including boating and parasailing, year round. With a depth of 989 feet, clear visibility as far down as 70 feet and a 99.7% purity level, this snow-fed lake is a natural wonder worth seeing at any time of year.
• The local weather conditions comprise 396 inches of snowfall and 300 days of sunshine annually — a rare combination.
• Visitors to Lake Tahoe can be in on the slopes in California one minute and in the casinos in Nevada the next, as the city is split almost exactly down the center by the border of these two states.
• With a stunning blue lake and breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Tahoe is filled with idyllic scenery, making it an ideal destination for pilots and all other visitors.

Mammoth Mountain is a wildly popular ski resort destination during the winter, and a few pilots are lucky enough to fly in and out of this snowy wonderland in their own private aircraft. Flight safety takes on an even more crucial role during the wintertime in Mammoth,  since the weather can be as extreme as the ski slopes during the peak of the season. From turbulence and icing conditions to airspace restrictions in this region, winter in Mammoth in the winter is an invigorating time and place to fly. There are many factors that pilots must take into consideration to fly safely in Mammoth.

Flight Safety Considerations for Mammoth Winters

These are a few of the most important factors to take into consideration if you plan on flying into or out of Mammoth Mountain during the wintertime:

• Glider traffic in Owens Valley is dense, as this is a prime spot for gliding.
• Icing conditions can cause clear ice to form on the surface of the aircraft during overnight parking.
• There are restrictions on the airspace in this region due to nearby military facilities.
• Turbulence is heightened in the Mammoth region due to the mountain wave of Owens Valley.  Avoid flight in high winds.
• Watch out for engine damage from shock cooling.  This occurs during rapid temperature drops.
• Engine management is more important than ever.  The temperature can dip as low as -30 degrees.
• Take extra precautions when flying after sunset.  Avoiding the terrain is more difficult and pilots have almost no depth perception in these conditions.
• The runway may be covered in ice or snow, so be cautious during takeoff and landing. You should also get a view of the runway after the snow has been plowed to see where everything is. Finally, be extra careful during taxiing, as the snow piles are often higher than the wings of the plane.

Treat these as precautions.  Fly in the day and VFR if able.  If winds are forecasted to be greater than 30KTs at the airport, consider waiting a day.  This flight is amazing and will put a huge smile on your face upon a smooth landing at KMMH.

Student Pilots:
Make Big Bear a destination during your training! Can you think of a better way to gain the necessary cross-country time you need? Our instructors have a great deal of high altitude flying experience and can give you real scenario based training so that you can safely fly yourself and friends to Big Bear any time you want once you get your pilot’s certificate.

Already a Pilot?
Enhance your proficiency! Mountain flying can be tricky. Have one of our highly qualified instructors that are well acquainted with this flight, to help you improve upon your skills. Fly up for the day or stay for the weekend to take in all that Big Bear has to offer.

These are the most exciting features and benefits of the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin:

• Autopilot Control Yaw Damper: The yaw damper reduces rolling and yawing oscillations caused by Dutch roll mode, and the new version has an intuitive autopilot control system.
• Flight Management System: The FMS in the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin is a more user-friendly version of the computer system that automatically performs many in-flight tasks.  It basically gives the pilot a keypad like your computer.
• Flight Path Indicator: This technology provides a clear display of the path the airplane is on at any given time.
• HSI Display: This display shows a predetermined course for the pilot, which replaces the gauges and other hardware that pilots have traditionally relied on to create a mental picture of the situation their airplane is in.
• New Autopilot: The Garmin autopilot offers a blue level button.  The will level the wings, recover unusual attitude and provide flawless instrument approaches.
• Synthetic Vision: This new virtual reality display system for cockpits uses 3D technology to give pilots a clearer and more insightful understanding of the environment in which they’re flying.
• Terrain Avoidance Warning System: The TAWS is highly reliable and efficient, as it automatically warns the flight crew of potential collisions with terrain, giving the crew plenty of time to react before danger strikes.

This is truly the safest cockpit option available in general aviation!

If you plan on flying on your own this winter, you can have a safe and enjoyable experience, as long as you take a few extra precautions and spend a little more time planning.

Tips for Safe Winter Flying

• Proper preflight planning is crucial – imagine all the possible worst-case scenarios before you head out onto the runway.  Remember that icing levels are lower this time of year.
• Check all pilot reports before flying for icing conditions, airport closures, cold fronts, cloud locations and other issues that could affect your flight.
• Air traffic during the holidays is often much worse than any other time of the year. Take this into consideration and allow for extra time to get to your destination.   Expect runway delays, and runway closures due to snow and ice.

• If you are taking any passengers, make sure to brief them of potential scenarios and the potential for delays due to weather, airport closures and heightened air traffic.
• Remember that temperatures in the atmosphere could dip as low as -30 degrees, and that turbulence is often much worse in the mountain areas that are popular winter destinations.
• Get proper night training before flying with passengers in the wintertime, because the sun sets earlier and you may be forced to fly at night. In order to get night-current with your training, you must complete a minimum of three takeoffs and landings to a full stop at night within the past 90 days.

Preflight Checklist for Small Airplane Pilots

Before taking flight in the winter, the last precaution you must take is going through this additional pre-flight checklist for cold weather conditions:

• Confirm that the heat works and that the heater is not leaking.
• Check that all de-icing equipment is working properly.
• Prepare instruments for holding.
• Pre-check the safety kit and update the kit if anything is missing. Make sure you have a good knife, fire starters, a signal mirror and medical supplies in case of an emergency.

As you climb higher into the atmosphere, the partial pressure of oxygen decreases. This means that the number of oxygen molecules in each volume of breath decreases and many of the hemoglobin molecules that normally deliver oxygen to the cells travel empty. Gradually, you’ll experience increasing levels of hypoxia — a word of Greek origin that means a lower-than-normal amount of oxygen.

There are no set guidelines when it comes to recognizing the symptoms of hypoxia. Everyone reacts differently. The altitude at which your body begins to experience hypoxia depends much on your past exposure to high altitude. If you live in Denver, your limits will be much higher than your friends in Washington, D.C. If you fly or hike regularly at high altitude, your body will adjust over time. The only way to know when your body starts exhibiting symptoms is by exposing yourself and paying attention to the changes.

The first symptoms of hypoxia are most likely very subtle. You could begin to experience a slight headache or pressure behind the eyes. But it’s important to recognize those first signs because advanced symptoms of hypoxia impair functions critical to safe flight. Examples of those symptoms include loss of judgment, inability to make calculations, euphoria and diminished vision.

The lack of adequate vision and other hypoxic symptoms are particularly prevalent at night when the eyes need more oxygen to produce a special night vision protein in the rods of the eyes called rhodopsin. Your personal altitude limit for oxygen use should therefore be lower at night, perhaps as low as 5,000 feet if you live at sea level.

Fortunately hypoxia is a condition that is easy to cure. You simply need to introduce more oxygen to the body by descending to a lower altitude, inhaling supplemental oxygen or pressurizing the cabin. If your airplane is neither pressurized nor equipped with oxygen, you can purchase a portable system that is easy to bring along.

Learn what your first signs of hypoxia are by getting some high altitude training. Whether you train in a high-altitude chamber or in an airplane with an instructor, you won’t regret learning how to recognize your symptoms. Once you know how your body reacts, set your own individual altitude limits for when you need to use supplemental oxygen.

-Pia Bergqvist

http://iflycoast.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/10-03-11-Coast-Flight-Training_Fast-100.pdf