Instrument Flying: Technique in Weather Page: 27
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RESTRICTED
T. O. No. 30-10OD-1FLYING CLOUDS
AND FOG
A pilot should never fly into any cloud without
knowing what weather elements he is likely to en-
counter and what he will do if they adversely affect
normal flight.
Virtually all weather problems that confront a
pilot are associated in one way or another with clouds
or fog. The obscuring of visibility, horizontal and
vertical, is in reality a secondary problem, although
on occasion it may complicate other problems.
The production of icing conditions and precipi-
tation is always associated with clouds. Turbulence,
while not directly caused by clouds, may be caused by
the same physical process which results in the forma-
tion of clouds, and there is the added complication
that flight must be conducted on instruments in these
conditions. A relatively slight accumulation of ice
and moderate turbulence can have serious conse-
quences when encountered in the course of instrument
flight.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT CLOUDS
To a pilot, the international classification of clouds
based on their appearance has no practical signifi-
cance. The pilot is interested in those characteristics
of the cloud which might adversely affect the normal
conduct of a flight. These characteristics are:
1. The horizontal extent and whether continuous,
broken, or scattered.
2. Vertical extent, and whether continuous or in
layers; if in layers, whether sloping or level, merging
or diverging.
3. Turbulence, whether confined to certain layers
or present at all levels.
4. Icing conditions, vertical limits, the type of ice,
and rate of accretion.5. Type and intensity of precipitation.
6. The mean and lowest heights of the lowest cloud
layer above the ground.
If a pilot is qualified and has demonstrated his
ability to fly on instruments, to orientate himself, and
to execute an instrument approach with limited ceiling
and visibility, only those weather elements encoun-
tered en route, closing of his terminal, or mechanical
failure, can produce 'complications in the conduct of
the flight.
Low ceiling and low visibility do not in themselves
demand a special flight technique. In the final analysis,
the pilot has only to determine whether or not a landing
can be made at a terminal. If a landing cannot be
made, he must proceed to another field where the
ceiling and visibility are adequate. However, a pilot
"in the clear" can see weather signs around him that
are hidden from the pilot on instruments.
When the ceiling or visibility is or may become
low, the pilot must plan for the possible use of an
alternate airport. Repeated attempts to land under
unfavorable conditions will only consume valuable
fuel and increased fatigue, not to mention the pos-
sible incentive to take unwarranted chances. It is
better to swallow one's pride and proceed to an al-
ternate field after one unsuccessful attempt.
THREE CAUSES OF CLOUDS
Cloud masses of sufficient size and extent to war-
rant consideration as a flight problem may be formed
by any one of three principal processes:
1. Vertical convection.
2. Upslope motion.
3. Cooling by contact with a cold surface.RESTRICTED
Section 5
27
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Army Air Forces. Instrument Flying: Technique in Weather, book, January 1, 1944; Ashland, Ohio. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth873973/m1/33/?rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National WASP WWII Museum.