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  • Planes and thunderstorms?
  • seosamh77
    Free Member

    So current forecast on Thursday for my landing at Palma looks like this! 😯 😆

    https://www.eltiempo.es/lluvia

    What the story with planes and thunderstorms? I know planes can get hit by lightning no bother, they’re designed too. But what’s the likelihood of delays/cancellation when it’s looking like that? Ok, just fly around it?

    I like a good thunderstorm, so catching the arse-end of one before the sun comes out on the Thursday should be quite cool, assuming we get landed, no so sure about flying through them though! 😆

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Turn up and let them deal with it. Chance of being diverted though I’ve landed in some hideous weather. Last thunder problem was they wouldn’t unload the plane with lightening around so that caused delays.

    antigee
    Full Member

    the usual outcome is sitting in the terminal watching trolley loads of baggage soak up several millions euro’s weight of excess water

    i reckon airlines play a tight game on this – generally planes seems to land so they are in the right place for next flight – flights that get longest takeoff delays are short flights where they can better recover the situation

    not so sure about flying through them though!

    the thru is ok – its the up/down that gets you

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    geetee1972
    Free Member

    The wife says she always tries to fly around storms. The storm is turbulent air.

    bwfc4eva868
    Free Member

    Landed during two thunderstorms. Once in Singapore and once in Orlando. They just put us in a stack for half hour till the majority of it passed. Landed fine,bit bumpy but nothing too bad.
    Took off in one at Rhodes, moved about a bit then turned away from it no bother.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Is the airline one of those that economises on the spare fuel?

    Rich_s
    Full Member

    they wouldn’t unload the plane with lightening around

    Most times I’ve seen planes being unloaded there’s been lots of lightening going on.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Most times I’ve seen planes being unloaded there’s been lots of lightening going on.

    Brisbane?

    They were sticking to that one as it was directly over the airport. Maybe different rules elsewhere.

    Klunk
    Free Member

    took off from Cork in one once, most unpleasant, only the second flight I had with people screaming.

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    It’s pilots choice really, depending on the location, severity and associated winds. It’s the turbulence and downdrafts that provide the danger rather than the lightning itself.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Earthed by the treadmill, Shirley?

    globalti
    Free Member

    I was diverted from Belgrade to Podgorice recently because BEG was under a huge storm. The amazing thing was that once we had landed in lovely sunshine at Podgorice some French passengers got up and berated the aircrew for making them miss their connection to Athens! Typically French behaviour, as I know from having lived in France for 3 years.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    It’s a nightmare here op, I had to get off my sunbed and have breakfast 10 mins early due to inclement weather.

    bowglie
    Full Member

    Plane we were in was struck by lightning on final approach to Manchester a few years ago – left on scheduled time, but ended up circling around for about 30 mins, but guess low fuel meant we had to land. Plane was bucking around a bit going through the storm, and when it was struck, the cabin lights went out – cue people screaming and crying. I thought it just spiced a boring flight up a bit. But then I guess I’m used to flying in old light aircraft and ancient Dakotas (…pass the gaffer tape)

    hot_fiat
    Full Member

    Got struck during departure from Helsinki once. Sounded like someone had punted a filing cabinet over in the hold. Can be a bit bumpy and generally atc or the pilot themselves will try and fly around them. Mainly for passenger comfort and avoidance of the unknown.

    bwfc4eva868
    Free Member

    I’ve gone more nevous for some reasons theses days. Wasn’t to keen on the descent we made in Rhodes last year, it felt far too fast, then I realised we were being hunted down the approach path by a A330, as that touched down just after we vacated the runway.

    cobrakai
    Full Member

    As Dan says, its pilots discretion as to whether they will fly close or through thunderstorms.

    You can expect delays I’m afraid if the weather is in or around the airfield.

    Planes fly out of the normal routes to avoid cells which vastly increases work load on ATC.

    To help manage the work load and keep the planes seperated (3miles or 1000ft), flow restrictions on departures and arrivals can be implemented and holding in the air takes place.

    In effect the size of the airspace becomes smaller because we can’t use it all, so therefore less planes can fit in it.

    I’ve had inbounds to London airports hold for 30 min then divert to Amsterdam or Manchester. Even had a wizzair turn round and go back to Budapest!

    Weather is when the job is at its most stressful.

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    So maybe delayed maybe not, most likely to fly anyhow. tbh I’m strangely looking forward to it. I hope it’s wild, lightening is class! 😆 (then sunny a couple of hours after we land!)

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    mikewsmith – Member
    Is the airline one of those that economises on the spare fuel?

    that sounds like a slight on the good name of ryanair! i’ll not be having that! 😆

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    that sounds like a slight on the good name of ryanair! i’ll not be having that!

    go on then what’s their good name?

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    A to B for much cheapness. Not really sure what else ye want from a plane tbh! 😆

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Lol a lot probably not dropping in Milan with a refund 😉

    Flaperon
    Full Member

    Looking at the forecast, you’ll be fine. Might be a bit turbulent but the airport should be clear of thunderstorms. (If you end up on Ibiza, I’ll deny everything).

    wobbliscott
    Free Member

    I’ve landed a few times when electrical storms have been around, with lightning either side of the aircraft, but off a bit into the distance a bit. I was let off the aircrft via airbridges, but on a couple of occasions the baggage removal was delayed as the baggage handlers work outdoors so I guess the risks are greater for them. sonif you can just take carry on so you’re not stood at the baggage belt for an hour waiting for your bags.

    cheers_drive
    Full Member

    Landed in Geneva during a big storm, delayed landing then was held in cabin for 1 hr until the storm passed as it was not safe for the ground crew to operate. Airport was all but shut by the time we got out.

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    Plane we were in was struck by lightning on final approach to Manchester a few years ago – left on scheduled time, but ended up circling around for about 30 mins, but guess low fuel meant we had to land. Plane was bucking around a bit going through the storm, and when it was struck, the cabin lights went out – cue people screaming and crying.

    I was struck on an SAS flight LHR-Copenhagen one time. There was a visible flash and smell of ozone, but being mainly Brits and depressed Norsemen, the general response was one of stoic resignedness that this was probably it and what’s the point making a fuss. After a few minutes, as we got out of the storm and into clear sky the captain came on and confirmed we’d been struck but ‘these planes are designed to withstand it……. and thank god, it did this time’

    I’d imagine the scene on the Alitalia flight that was next on the runway to be somewhat more like the description above……

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Airport was all but shut by the time we got out.

    Nah it looks like that all the time 😉

    bowglie
    Full Member

    I’d imagine the scene on the Alitalia flight that was next on the runway to be somewhat more like the description above……

    Well, I’ve got to bust some stereotypes here – the flight I was on coming in to Manchester was almost entirely populated by Brits. It was when the lights went out and condensation started running out of the air con vents that people started going crazy.

    bowglie
    Full Member

    Oh, water ingress in planes reminds me of my favourite pilot comment. Flying in a plane that had allegedly been used during the Berlin airlift, the guy across the aisle from me noticed that you can see the ground and sky through some old rivet holes, and asks what happens when it rains – Pilot comes back with the obvious “you get wet” …….of course you do!

    Got the feeling that if a thunderstorm was in the way of that old plane, the thunderstorm would be the one avoiding a confrontation

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    Summer storms on islands tend to build up over the hills, with the airports built on the flat bits by the sea, you are normally ok.

    Planes will (should!) have enough fuel on board in bad weather to divert if necessary to somewhere with better weather.

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