Flying conditions

[canyon]

So I'm flying next week and it's supposed to rain where I take off and it's supposed to thunderstorm where I'm supposed to land. My question is can planes land during a thunderstorm? I know they can take off in the rain most times but I'm not sure about landing in a storm..

Thanks

[Malcolm Tucker]

So I'm flying next week and it's supposed to rain where I take off and it's supposed to thunderstorm where I'm supposed to land. My question is can planes land during a thunderstorm? I know they can take off in the rain most times but I'm not sure about landing in a storm..

Thanks

A thunderstorm alone won't do anything. However, airports frequently (*cough*Atlanta*cough*) shut ops. because of a number of conditions.

Thunderstorms can often bring heavy rain, reducing visibility right down. If visibility drops low, then aircraft can't land. That, though, depends on the equipment at the airport in question, though. If the airport has ILS approaches then the minimum visibility is usually low (the minimum visibility is the lowest distance seen by an aircraft - so if an airport has a 500ft minimum, and rain causes only 250ft to be visible, then planes can't land). It's also noted that certain types of plane might not be certified to land in low visibility conditions.

Also, wind is usually a factor too. Heavy crosswinds and wind shear are very challenging to land in - albeit fun (I landed at Heathrow once with a 30kt crosswind, down the last row of an A319 - the rudder movements on finals made it great fun!).

To answer your question definitively, it really depends on the combination of rain + wind + other factors at the time of your departure.


Can I ask, where are you departing to/from? If you know the aircraft type I can look up different date re the minimums etc for you if you want peace of mind :)

[Virtual Guy]

Good question. I wouldnt think a miner TS would stop a plane from landing

[canyon]

A thunderstorm alone won't do anything. However, airports frequently (*cough*Atlanta*cough*) shut ops. because of a number of conditions.

Thunderstorms can often bring heavy rain, reducing visibility right down. If visibility drops low, then aircraft can't land. That, though, depends on the equipment at the airport in question, though. If the airport has ILS approaches then the minimum visibility is usually low (the minimum visibility is the lowest distance seen by an aircraft - so if an airport has a 500ft minimum, and rain causes only 250ft to be visible, then planes can't land). It's also noted that certain types of plane might not be certified to land in low visibility conditions.

Also, wind is usually a factor too. Heavy crosswinds and wind shear are very challenging to land in - albeit fun (I landed at Heathrow once with a 30kt crosswind, down the last row of an A319 - the rudder movements on finals made it great fun!).

To answer your question definitively, it really depends on the combination of rain + wind + other factors at the time of your departure.


Can I ask, where are you departing to/from? If you know the aircraft type I can look up different date re the minimums etc for you if you want peace of mind :)

I'm leaving from BDL and landing at MCO

[Malcolm Tucker]

Come to think of it, I landed last July in Orlando when a thunderstorm was over MCO. There was no wind, as such and a bit of rain but it was quite bumpy. The MD-88 did the job though (Y)

Also, flying in 2009 from Atlanta - Myrtle Beach, SC in a little CRJ - about 30/40 minutes of the cruise was in and around thunderstorms. Not a bother. (Aside from the crew, though, I was the only person to get up and walk around during the flight xD)

[Malcolm Tucker]

I'm leaving from BDL and landing at MCO

B6, DL, or WN?

[hexane]

Wind shear may become an issue.

[McMuffin]

I remember an msnbc documentery about American Airlines a week in the life with Peter Greenberg. They had a segment on a plane in DFW (Dallas Ft Worth) where they navigated through lightning and I belive it was hail? In overall, trust the pilots and their judgement, they have been through years of training and know what and what not to fly in