PILOT SPIN

Pilot Zone => Pilot Zone => Topic started by: nddons on March 23, 2020, 09:35:29 AM

Title: Lenticular Clouds
Post by: nddons on March 23, 2020, 09:35:29 AM

As pilots we know to stay clear of conditions that produce lenticular clouds, which usually form over mountains, else the ground will come up to smite us.

For us flatlanders, that experience comes from merely seeing a picture in a book, and perhaps a question on the private pilot written exam.

I often use Bing as my search engine, (1) because it’s not Google, and (2) they usually have cool pictures as their background.

Today’s Bing shows a loop with the formation of lenticular clouds over Mount Rainier.  Very cool stuff.

https://www.bing.com/?scope=web&mkt=en-US

Title: Re: Lenticular Clouds
Post by: Anthony on March 23, 2020, 11:21:16 AM

All too familiar with those from living in Colorado.  Yeah, don't even go near the mountains when you see that stuff.  Then there are mountain waves, and clear air turbulence.  That's always fun.   ::)

Title: Re: Lenticular Clouds
Post by: Lucifer on March 23, 2020, 11:28:33 AM

Mountain waves are nasty.   The worse I ever encountered was near Knoxville, TN in winter.

Crossing the Rockies eastbound we would hit them up in the high 30's, and if you hit it just right it was like riding the crest of a wave, it would push the aircraft right along while reducing thrust.

 I remember getting mountain wave activity charts, and ATC would vector aircraft around the areas.  Also flight plans would have shear rate numbers on them, the higher the number, the more turbulance.  Mountain wave would peg them out.

Title: Re: Lenticular Clouds
Post by: Mr Pou on March 23, 2020, 12:36:29 PM

Quote from: Lucifer on March 23, 2020, 11:28:33 AM

Mountain waves are nasty.   The worse I ever encountered was near Knoxville, TN in winter.

The worst turb I've ever flown through was near the Polaski (PSK) VOR in southwestern VA during March. When I saw the lennies I knew it was gonna be a rough ride, spent nearly the whole flight below Va.  Oh, and trying not to barf...

Title: Re: Lenticular Clouds
Post by: Anthony on March 24, 2020, 04:43:32 AM

Quote from: Mr Pou on March 23, 2020, 12:36:29 PM

The worst turb I've ever flown through was near the Polaski (PSK) VOR in southwestern VA during March. When I saw the lennies I knew it was gonna be a rough ride, spent nearly the whole flight below Va.  Oh, and trying not to barf...

It's flights like those when I would question why I did this for "fun".  Fortunately, they are few and far between.