CASA Media Release - Friday, 12 November 2004
Pilots warned: get ready for wet season
Pilots flying in Australia’s tropics are being warned to get ready for the approaching wet season.
Heavy rain, massive thunderstorms and lightning strikes are common during the wet season and pose real risks to aircraft.
Many fatal accidents that occur in the tropics can be linked to marginal weather conditions that pilots could have avoided.
The warning has been issued in the latest edition of CASA’s flagship safety publication, Flight Safety Australia magazine.
A story in the magazine on tropical weather conditions that are a risk to flying says it can be difficult to get accurate and timely information on threatening weather.
“Because of the vast distances and a low aircraft concentration across the tropical north, significant changes in weather might go unreported,” Flight Safety Australia says.
Pilots are advised to glean information from other pilots on developing weather, as well as official forecasts.
Thunderstorms can cause severe turbulence that may structurally damage aircraft and these must be avoided.
Large storms can also result in hail or lightening damage to aircraft, ice forming on aircraft and severe downdraughts.
Pilots are told to stay at least 10 nautical miles from any effects of a thunderstorm.
Flight Safety Australia warns that the biggest killer for pilots flying by visual flight rules is the loss of the ability to see the ground and features on the ground at a low level.
“If you are not instrument qualified, you have virtually no chance of surviving this situation even if you have a working instrument flight rules panel.”
Other stories in the latest edition of Flight Safety Australia include an analysis of a near disaster at Coffs Harbour, changes to titles on Australia’s instrument approach and landing charts and advice on turbine engines.
Media contact
Peter Gibson
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR0435