Comments above to fly high.....which is kind of what I’ve done....until re-reading Robert Buck’s Weather Flying chapter on thunderstorms where he pretty adamantly states stay below building cumulus areas, not just particular cells. Comments from the crowd?
Buck’s experience was at a different time. No NEXRAD, lots of piston work, less accurate forecasting. Flying low can and will wear you out from the turbulence, heat and just sheer work involved. If you are getting paid for performance, low is probably more reliable. For fun with personal flexibility, high up is where it’s at most of the time. For me, I just can’t easily recall when I flew underneath as the better option.
For isolated summer thunderstorms, it is best to stay below the bases of the clouds. Then you can see the rain shafts under the storms and pick your way around them. Much safer to maintain visual separation than depend on XM or ADS-B radar imagery.
I’ve done plenty of low level picking in my Maule with and without my IR in hand. The more powerful (excess power) RV 10 makes flying high work consistently just as a turbine/pressurized craft would make high a slam dunk.
On the east coast ATC seems to like giving 6000 feet for medium length trips over the lowlands, they seem reluctant to give higher alts. So I usually file for 6000, I can request 8000 and see what happens. There are plenty of airports along my flight path.
Yes, 6k is about the best you can do there.
Being newly minted, I am still getting accustomed to working in the system solo, but I realize a big plus is having ATC wanting to keep you safe also. I plan on filing unless things appear perfect the entire way down.
ATC can and will help... most of the time. Sometimes workload limits what they can do so you can never become dependent. Always be ready to handle ,”...unable, say intentions”. Always be in command of you and your aircraft.
If you are still becoming accustomed to working with ATC, file and fly in the system on all cross countries. It will feel like work at first. When it stops feeling like work, you’ve mastered it and may find filing IFR on VFR days is easier than VFR like many of us have.
And, again, never think that IFR means you have to fly straight through every cloud. My VFR only friends that fly with me IFR are surprised how much talking and negotiating goes on.
Amen. That’s how it really works.
Not weather related, but my second IFR flight solo was not the smoothest at the start. They assigned me a squawk, which the tower changed on me during climbout before handing me off to approach while on runway vectors. For whatever reason, this change went strangely. I am still on runway heading after about 5 minutes (not a radio out situation could communicate just fine), called ATC asking why I had not received my proceed to point and climb instruction. ACT come back why are you on that squawk frequency? I replay you guys gave it to me. At which point he gave me another squawk code as well as my point to enter my route, and to start my climb.
It was a beautiful VFR day, I knew exactly where I was, but still a little confusing for my second IFR flight. All in learning how to do this, and this will prove to be another learning experience.
That’s typical in the NY\Philly Area. Getting used to dealing with it is part of flying in a congested area. I can fly all over the east but when I get near NY I have to up my game a bit and really work to anticipate what may happen. File and fly IFR as much as you can.
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