Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024

The conditions were a mile of visibility and about 500 feet of ragged ceiling, barely enough to maintain orientation by landmarks passing below. A low ceiling absolutely ends a planned flight, though visibility may be the legal determining factor in some situations. If on radar vectors, the controller may have another option for you.

Weather

Photographic Logbook

JULY 11, 2024

Moments after climbing through the ceiling over Beverly, MA. We made an IFR departure that morning on runway 16 and climbed above the ceiling in short order. But I accepted the clearance knowing that I could change it with a local Approach control like Syracuse. This was even better than I requested.

Ceiling

Photographic Logbook

FEBRUARY 4, 2024

More often than not, winter flying in Upstate New York is contingent on the ceiling. Ceilings are often too low to fly beneath and slowly climbing through a cloud layer of indeterminate thickness in sub-freezing temperatures risks icing. However, a persistent low ceiling scuttled those morning plans.

Ceiling

Photographic Logbook

APRIL 19, 2024

I expected to manage some cloud layers during the New York portion of the flight, but the forecast called for a high ceiling at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Phantom City Initially, I believed that the original forecast claiming high ceilings around Philadelphia would come to pass. Famous last words.)

Approach

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 2, 2024

No flying in winds exceeding 10 knots, no chance of obscuring precipitation, no use of runways shorter than 5,000 feet, no risk of encountering darkness or lowering ceilings. is a common question, when the wind, ceiling, visibility, turbulence, or even temperature are obviously not conducive to routine flying.

Wind Shear

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 2, 2024

No flying in winds exceeding 10 knots, no chance of obscuring precipitation, no use of runways shorter than 5,000 feet, no risk of encountering darkness or lowering ceilings. is a common question, when the wind, ceiling, visibility, turbulence, or even temperature are obviously not conducive to routine flying.

Wind Shear

Charles Ryan's Flying Adventure

MARCH 28, 2024

The turbulence was not as bad as what I was anticipating and for most parts of the flight, it was smooth. Finally before started our descent, our female Captain came on and updated us on our arrival and weather update and with a prediction of light turbulence during our approach. Off we go, fortunately it wasn't turbulent.

Turbulence

Air Facts

MAY 27, 2024

I literally obtained a dozen or so briefings to ensure that there wasn’t even a hint of some friendly sea breeze that could be construed as clear air turbulence. In fact, if I could visually see a cloud deck from the ground, it would mean the troposphere ended at around 3,000 feet for me regardless of what the actual ceilings were.

Ceiling

Air Facts

APRIL 29, 2024

KCPC was reporting IFR conditions with a 700’ ceiling and one mile visibility. I queried ATC about when to expect the approach clearance and was informed that the Saratoga had appeared to land but the pilot hadn’t contacted ATC to close his IFR flight plan. Tuning in the AWOS, I heard an unpleasant surprise.

Descent

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 26, 2024

Upon completing his mission, Kidder requested a clearance to land over the radio, and received a vector heading and told by the controller he was only 15 miles from the base. The weather along the flight path was poor, described by Pruett as consisting of “…low clouds and heavy fog, a ceiling of only a couple hundred feet.”

Weather

Charles Ryan's Flying Adventure

JULY 22, 2024

Departure Hall (Landside) The design of the ceiling caught my attention. Notice the small disks of colour glass recess on the underside of the ceiling? What does this design of the ceiling look like to you? We flew through some layers of clouds but it was not turbulent. I can imagine how nice it is at night.

Cabin Crew