Time, space and your happy place
What about the weather? What are the important units of measurement for avoiding adverse weather conditions?
Lightning in a bottle
Lightning is an important unit of measurement. It’s a signpost that a particular area of weather contains severe or extreme convective turbulence. As aviation weather expert Dr. Scott Dennstaedt says, “What name do you give the weather phenomenon one second before the first lightning strike? A rain shower!”
In the initial phase of a developing thunderstorm, it is common for a cell to consist of mainly cloud-to-cloud lightning. AOPA Strategic Partner SiriusXM Aviation delivers cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning to the cockpit and updates the information every 2.5 minutes. Armed with this information, you can confidently make decisions sooner to minimize your exposure to an area with dangerous convection.-
What tool can you use to measure lightning and identify developing storms in flight? Join the discussion here
Tracking storm tracks
Knowing the height as well as the speed and direction of thunderstorms provides you with guidance so you know where the most significant storms will be relative to your route. This allows you to strategically maneuver around dangerous weather at a safe distance. SiriusXM Aviation provides storm tracks and echo top heights to allow you to monitor the speed and direction of the most significant areas of weather. ADS-B/FIS-B does not offer storm tracks or echo top heights. With ADS-B/FIS-B you are left to estimate the movement of significant cells.
What do you use to determine how fast and what direction the storm is moving in, so you can stay clear of it? Weigh in here
Your happy place
Having the tools to increase situational awareness, simplify decision making, and avoid adverse weather makes the busy times in the cockpit more manageable. And that leaves more time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight. Maybe even listen to some tunes.
What songs put you in your happy place while flying? Anyone who purchases a SiriusXM OnyxEZR Receiver or SiriusXM Tour Audio Receiver with Bluetooth through Sporty's Pilot Shop by August 6 will receive a $50 prepaid service card. SiriusXM entertainment could be the perfect companion for your next cross-country flight. And that’s something you can’t measure.
Want to try SiriusXM Aviation Weather for yourself?
SiriusXM offers two-month trials of their aviation weather and entertainment. Call 877-888-6991 to activate your trial or visit aopa.org/siriusxm to learn more.
