How do pilots avoid lightning and hail damage?

Pilots should observe the following rules for any flight routed even potentially near actual or possible thunder- storm activity: Avoid all thunderstorms. Never go closer than 5 miles to any visible storm cloud with overhanging areas, and strongly consider increas- ing that distance to 20 miles or more.



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Pilots use weather radar to avoid thunderstorms Because of the uneven air that can cause turbulence, wind, and reduced visibility, pilots will do everything they can to avoid flying through thunderstorms. However, sometimes - and especially so when a storm is near the airport - flying through a storm cannot be avoided.

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Do Flights Get Cancelled Due to Thunderstorms? Yes, this can happen. In fact, many flights are cancelled regularly around the world due to thunderstorms making it dangerous or impossible to take off.

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Lightning hazard on the apron area The interruption to outdoor activities performed by apron area will remain until the lightning threat has passed, halting all departure and arrival operations for the whole duration of a thunderstorm.

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Numerous accidents have occurred in the vicinity of thunderstorms due to the density of clouds. It is often said that the turbulence can be extreme enough inside a cumulonimbus to tear an aircraft into pieces, and even strong enough to hold a skydiver.

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Be sensitive to the possibility of encountering unforecasted clouds while flying VFR at night. Do this by observing the intensity of ground lights. If they begin to dim, there may be clouds or increasing moisture below you.

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Planes all over the world get struck by lightning almost daily. According to the US National Weather Service, an aircraft in commercial service is hit by a bolt of lightning on average once or twice yearly.

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What happens when en route flights encounter thunderstorms? Jet aircraft can safely fly over thunderstorms only if their flight altitude is well above the turbulent cloud tops. The most intense and turbulent storms are often the tallest storms, so en route flights always seek to go around them.

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Rain is just water, no matter the pressure. Modern aircraft can generate lift regardless of the heaviness of the rain. Planes can and will take off and land in the rain. The only real problem with heavy rainfall is the decrease in visibility for the pilots.

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While high winds (a crosswind above 40 mph and a tailwind above 10 mph) can occasionally prevent planes from taking off or landing on time, winds won't put your flight in any danger.

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Most commercial airlines fly above much of the clouds, though they do still have to fly through them to get in and out of the airports. A typical commercial jet has a cruising altitude of around six to seven miles (nine to 11 km) above sea level.

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On August 2, 1985, strong and sudden wind gusts cause a plane crash at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in Texas that kills 135 people. The rapid and unexpected formation of a supercell, an extremely violent form of thunderstorm, led to the tragedy.

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Yes, birds do get struck by lightning, although it's not very common. When birds are flying during a storm, they are exposed to lightning strikes and thus can get hit directly. Birds will typically avoid flying in a thunderstorm. They prefer to find hiding spots, such as in bushes, trees and tall grasses.

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