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Many do the majority of their flying to airports with Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF) and can easily determine if they can make it to the destination and if an alternate is needed. A recent conversation with a pilot reminded me of the necessity for a review of the requirements for both weather reporting and when we should file an alternate.

As pilot in command for a flight under instrument flight rules we must become familiar with all available information concerning our flight which includes weather reports and forecasts (FAR 91.103 Preflight Action). While preparing for our flight all available information should include both commercial and government publications including TV weather forecasts.

Destination Weather

Larger airports normally have terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAF). The TAF is a report established to include a five statute mile radius around an airport. TAFs are issued by National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) four times a day, every six hours beginning at 0000 UTC and are issued for a specified period, normally 24 hours.

If a TAF is unavailable for your destination you will need to use the aviation area forecast (FA). The FA gives a forecast over a large area encompassing several states and is what is used as forecast data at smaller airports that do not have terminal forecasts. Area forecasts are issued three times a day and are valid for 18 hours.

If there is no weather reporting at our destination airport and we want to determine if we need an alternate then we should first look towards the VFR clouds and weather section of the area forecast (FA). The forecast weather is for the next 12 hours with an outlook for an additional 6 hours.

Review the precautionary statements section to determine if your destination will be IFR and if you will need to file an alternate. All statements in area forecasts regarding heights are given in MSL or will be stated as above ground level (AGL) or ceiling (CIG).

AIRMET Sierra within the precautionary statements should be referenced for IFR conditions and mountain obscuration. Again all heights are in MSL unless otherwise noted as AGL or CIG.

Alternate Weather

To determine the need for an alternate airport we need to look at our destination and apply a simple rule per 91.169 most pilots call the 1-2-3 rule. For at least 1 hour before and for 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival at the destination, the ceiling must be at least 2,000 and the visibility at least 3 statute miles or you will need to file an alternate.

So how do we determine our alternate weather and if the alternate is appropriate for filing as an alternate. CFR Part 91.169 describes the minimum weather requirements at our estimated time of arrival at the alternate and the eligibility of an airport to be including as an alternate on your flight plan.

For an alternate airport with a precision approach the minimum ceiling must be 600 feet and visibility 2 statute miles. For an alternate airport with a non-precision approach a minimum ceiling of 800 feet and visibility 2 statute miles is required. If you want to file a flight plan with an alternate that does not have an instrument approach procedure; the ceiling and visibility must allow for a descent from the minimum enroute altitude (MEA), fly the approach, and land under basic VFR.

To determine if the alternate airport has other than standard alternate minimums look at the notes section of the approach plate. A dark triangle with a capital A in the center indicates standard alternate minimums are not applicable to this airport. You must now look at the alternate minimums page to determine the published alternate minimums.

If your chosen alternate does not have an instrument approach procedure or alternate minimums are not authorized you have only one choice. You must be able to descend from the minimum en route altitude (MEA), fly the approach, and land in VFR conditions.

The symbol NA next to the bold A designates that alternate minimums are not authorized due to unmonitored facility or absence of a weather reporting facility. Many times this can lead to pilots interpreting that we can never use the airport as an alternate. Again, as long as we can descend in VFR conditions from the MEA to the airport we can file this airport as an alternate in our IFR flight plan.

Example 1:

We are planning a flight from Ft Lauderdale to Tampa International and we need an alternate because Tampa is forecasting a ceiling of 1000 feet. We decide to use Lakeland, FL as our alternate with an estimated arrival time in Lakeland of 1300 local.

Note: Lakeland has non standard alternate minimums and no source of weather information is available when the tower is closed. The tower at Lakeland is open from 0600 to 2200.

Example 2:

We are planning a flight from Ft Lauderdale to Tampa International and we need an alternate because Tampa is forecasting a ceiling of 1000 feet. We decide to use Lakeland, FL as our alternate with an estimated arrival time in Lakeland but at 2300 local. Since we are arriving after the tower is closed we will need to be able to descend VFR from the MEA to the airport and land in VFR conditions to file Lakeland as our alternate.

Example 3:

We are planning an IFR flight from Tampa international to Lakeland, FL (KLAL) and the ceiling is forecast to be 1000 feet at our time of arrival. We decide to use Wauchula, FL (KCHN) because the weather south of Lakeland is sky clear and unrestricted visibility and Wauchula is far south of Lakeland.

If you look at an approach plate for Wauchula we notice the Bold A in a triangle and the NA next to it. This means that Standard Alternate minimums are not authorized and we will need to be able to descend from the MEA to the airport and land in VFR conditions. Since the weather is clear we can use KCHN as an alternate.

Notes on approach plate for Wauchula:

Conclusion:

When determining the weather when planing an IFR flight we must use all available information. Remember safety is our first priority and even though we can legally fly to a destination and are not required to file an alternate the most prudent choice many times is file an alternate even if not required by regulations.

If the weather at our destination is forecast to have a ceiling of 2000 feet and 3 miles visibility we don’t legally need an alternate but prudence tells us we should file one. Furthermore, when choosing an alternate we should look towards those airports with the best approach facilities and ability to leave after the weather gets better.

In example 3 above I would prefer Sarasota KSRQ as the alternate even though Wauchula is a legal alternate in this case. Sarasota has an ILS and weather reporting. If you have ever been in rural Florida around midnight you know not many 24 hour diners are open and most FBOs close early.

RNAV (GPS) Approach plates have four lines of approach minimums. LPV, LNAV/VNAV, LNAV, and Circling. The LPV (localizer performance with vertical guidance) minimums are for WAAS (wide area augmentation system) approaches and use electronic lateral and vertical guidance.

To fly an approach to LPV minimums a WAAS certified GPS is required to take advantage of the vertical alarm limits of between 12 and 50 meters (40 to 165 feet). To fly these approaches you must have a statement in the Aircraft Flight Manual that the installed equipment supports LPV approaches.

Many GPS and FMS (flight management system) avionics systems do not have WAAS but have advisory VNAV capability. The Baro-VNAV temperature limitation is a limitation imposed on these type of systems.

The vertical path described by VNAV systems are advisory only and are not considered primary for vertical guidance. Therefore, the pilot must comply with any published altitude including step down fix altitudes and must use the primary barometric altimeter.

For operators authorized to use Baro-VNAV avionics which provide an advisory VNAV path, a VNAV DA (decision altitude) is published. The missed approach must be executed upon reaching the published decision altitude.

Interestingly, the visibility for the VNAV decision altitude is normally greater than the visibility of the MDA because the VNAV path will bring the aircraft to a point further from the runway than if flying level at the MDA. Furthermore, the VNAV DA can not be used during extreme cold temperatures because of limitations of pressure sensing altimeters and is the reason a Baro-VNAV temperature limit is published for the LNAV/VNAV DA.

Why use LNAV DA even though the visibility is more restrictive?

First, LNAV/VNAV approaches will bring you to an altitude 100 feet below most minimum descent altitudes. In instances where the visibility is high but the ceiling is low the LNAV/VNAV DA might be your only option.

Most new avionics for both private single engine aircraft and airliners include vertical guidance. These avionics systems also provide information to the autopilot thus enabling hands off flying all the way to decision altitude or the minimum descent altitude. Therefore, we can descent using the autopilot and when we turn it off we can maintain the same pitch and power settings all the way to the transition to landing and make a more stabilized approach.

Most air carriers require some type of vertical guidance be followed during an approach even in visual conditions. Either the ILS, GPS, or a multi-sensing FMS (Flight Management System) is used to provide guidance to the runway of intended landing. Using all available navigational resources provides for a more stabilized approach, obstacle clearance, and further guarantees that we land on the runway we intend to land on.

Examples:

So how do we determine which minimums we should use when a Baro-VNAV temperature limit is published? Let’s look at a few examples using the RNAV (GPS) to runway 23 at Tampa Executive Airport (KVDF).

For all scenarios we will assume the ILS 23 is unavailable and the winds are favoring runway 23.

Scenario 1:

The latest weather is ceiling 300 feet and 3/4 mile visibility.

Due to the 300 foot ceiling we should use the LPV minimum of 318 feet MSL and fly using our WAAS certified GPS. If you do not have WAAS the best option would be to proceed to another airport where an ILS or better weather is available.

Scenario 2:

The latest weather is 500 feet and 2 miles visibility, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, WAAS is unavailable, and we have Baro-VNAV avionics with all proper authorizations.

Due to the 500 foot ceiling we should use the LNAV/VNAV DA minimums of 507 feet and follow the VNAV advisory glide path.

Scenario 3:

The latest weather is 600 feet and 2 miles visibility, temperature - 30 degrees Celsius, WAAS is unavailable, and we have Baro-VNAV avionics and all proper authorizations.

In this case we cannot use the LNAV/VNAV DA because of the note Baro-VNAV NA below -15 C (5 F). We should use the LNAV MDA of 540 feet MSL.

Scenario 4:

The latest weather is 600 feet and 3/4 miles visibility, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, WAAS is unavailable, and we have Baro-VNAV avionics and all proper authorizations.

Due to the 3/4 mile visibility we will should use the LNAV MDA of 540 MSL.

Note:

In all the scenarios above we should use the vertical guidance provided by our avionics. Remember even though we are unable to use the VNAV or LPV minimums we should still use all vertical guidance available to us, thus providing for a more stabilized approach.

Conclusion:

Baro-VNAV temperature limits are for those using LNAV/VNAV DA minimums. If using a WAAS GPS and LPV minimums you will not need to concern yourself with the Baro-VNAV temperature limits although you should still be vigilant as to your altitude while descending in cold temperatures. Remember “hot to cold look out below”.

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The car rolled to a stop,my arrival announced by the gravel crunching under the wheels. I scanned the shallow wooden structure and the green grass field for signs of life. The day before my friend had said to me "If you like building model airplanes why not try flying one?". It seemed like a good idea at the time but now as I approached an airport I began feeling a little uncomfortable since this was a foreign environment for me.

Where do I go, what do I ask, and who do I ask about learning to fly? All these questions rattled through my mind. I knew I was in the right place because I saw a few small airplanes, but now what. I sat in my car with the engine running thinking to myself, "Ok, now I'm outside my comfort zone!". I noticed a small worn sign "learn to fly here", indicating that I was in the right place, my heart began racing from nervousness.

Walking into the dimly lit building I felt as if I entered a small hunt club or card club but I sure didn't expect what I saw. It was a busy environment with pictures of planes haphazardly placed on the walls and an occasional back of a t-shirt haphazardly cut and hastily inscribed with "first solo", the date, and name of the lucky pilot.

Looking past all the busyness of the office I saw a young man behind the counter and he looked up with a warm smile and said "Hello how are you". Immediately much of my nervousness left me and I said "I'm well. I'd like to learn to fly".

He responded with "That's great! My name is Kerry let me show you around". For the next hour Kerry walked me around the airport, showed me airplanes, talked about the thrills of learning to fly, and told me a little about himself and how he started flying. I was hooked. Little did I know that one day I would become an airline captain but I knew I was excited about my new found avocation.

There are two things I remember from my introduction to aviation. First was the warm welcome I received when I entered the building and the second was the excitement of my flight instructor. I remember to this day flying over the Wyoming Valley in Northeast Pennsylvania with a big smile on my face and turning to my flight instructor who was smiling back. We both at that moment understood our joy and the words uttered from my instructor resonate today, "I get paid for doing this!". And so would I some day.

I later realized the wonderful experience I had when I first entered the flight school was not the norm but the exception. As I fly around this country I make it a point to stop by the local flight school and inquire about renting an aircraft and taking flying lessons. I find some schools do a great job and are very customer oriented but most need to improve their customer service.

It amazes me to hear instructors complain about lack of students while in the same breath tell me they are not willing to hang around the airport waiting for them. That is ok if they are actively out seeking students at other venues but most are not.

Having started and grown businesses during two recessions I know it is important to stick with the basics and remember the most important person is the customer. This helped me when I began flight instructing and helped me grow my student base quickly. As a matter of fact I earned more money instructing than I did the first 4 years working for the airlines. Let me share with you what worked for me and what I feel will work for you as an instructor. If you are looking for an instructor, you might want to look for these traits during your search.

Steps To Building Your Client List

First, planes, pilots, and potential students can be found at the airport. It is important to be where the students congregate if you are going to be a successful instructor. Therefore you need to be at the airport. Again remember that every person that owns an airplane at the airport will need an instructor for a flight review or to regain their instrument competency.

When a student walks in the door start by saying to yourself, "I am going to spend as much time with this person as possible and answer all their questions". That way if you are still talking an hour later you will still feel energized while explaining the process of learning to fly.

Second, find out why they fly or want to learn to fly. You should start with a one or two sentence description of why you like to fly. I then turn and ask the potential client why they want to fly. After they describe their reasons I will then relate my experiences to their goals.

If they want to fly down the Florida Keys I'll tell them the wonderful views they will enjoy while the turquoise waters slip below. Of course always remember to mention the wonderful fresh grouper sandwiches and other great places to eat when they visit. If they are looking to use this as transportation for their business, explain to the client how they can utilize their aircraft for their particular business. Everyone is unique and comes to the wonderful world of flying for many reasons so lets listen to why they are interested in learning to fly.

Third, take the time to show the potential client the entire operation and review the process of learning to fly including a brief overview of the different stages in the learning process. One of the most disconcerting things for a student is the unknown. Bridge the known/unknown gap by describing in detail what will happen during each lesson.

Tour the flight school and as your walking with the potential client the most important thing to do is listen. During this walking tour you are getting the client to relax and open up and become comfortable with you. Personally I schedule a two hour session with each potential student for this process.

When you return to the flight school,show your client the syllabus and go through the main stages in their obtaining their pilot certificate or additional rating. It is at this point we begin to discuss costs and a budget. Occasionally, you will have a student who comes to you with a large sum of money ready to get start flying but the majority must operate on a budget. Relate all the costs associated with learning to fly and then divide this number by the number of months they have to plan to finish their rating. This will give them a good monthly budget. You should also discuss a monthly budget for flying after they get their pilot certificate. Help them understand what expenditures are expected and relate ways to save money flying such as partnerships and clubs.

For the client interested in flying to remote islands relate the expenses of renting the plane, parking, and other fees for the potential trip. For those looking to take a short hop to a local airport for the proverbial hundred dollar hamburger then show them where to get information on the best airport restaurants. Again share in their vision of what they want to do with their license by describing the fun they will have while also giving the practical knowledge on how to get there.

Next, when the person walks in your door, if you have a plane available and the time to do so, take the person for a short plane ride to a nearby airport or over a place of interest such as the Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls, or the clients house. This should be a memorable experience for the individual.

Lastly, always schedule your next appointment. If the person was a walk in and you are busy with another client make sure you have something to give the client including literature on how to fly, your business card, a list of websites describing the process of learning to fly, and any other literature you might have available. If you are trying to build a student base the most important thing is to be available. One of the ways to build a client base quickly is to be available during a specific time period and let everyone know what that is. For example I was always available for my clients Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm. If I didn't have a student I would still come in to be ready for my next client to walk through the door.

Within a few months I became so busy that I would book standby students for many of my lessons. The reason I was able to build such a large client base was my consistent availability and my consistent instructional technique. The latter I will write about in an upcoming article.

In conclusion one of the best places to find new students is at the airport and to make your time with potential clients productive. To summarize:

1. Be available.

2. Spend time with your potential client.

3. Give them as much information as possible and get to know their goals.

4. Schedule a lesson or meeting. This includes inviting the potential client to any known aviation events as your guest such as a FAASTeam meeting, air show, or aviation open house.

Remember the best place to find potential clients is at he airport. Your next goal is to retain your clients which I will speak about again in a future article.

Resources:

National Association Of Flight Instructors

Society Of Aviation and Flight Educators

AOPA Learn to Fly with 6 month free membership for new students

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Since the advent of WAAS the rules and acceptable use of the panel mounted WAAS certified GPS has been constantly evolving. The panel mounted WAAS certified GPS allows us to file an IFR flight plan with an alternate airport with only a GPS approach, provided you comply with the defined requirements for filing an alternate.

First let us assume the weather at your destination is forecast to be 200 feet overcast and 2 miles visibility. Let us also assume our aircraft has a panel mounted TSO-145c WAAS certified GPS, no DME, and no ADF.

Per 91.169 the weather forecast requires an alternate because the ceiling is forecast to be less than 2000 feet. We look for an alternate and decide to use an airport with one GPS approach and the weather forecast of 1000 feet and 2 miles visibility.

Per AIM 1-1-20 the RNAV approach in our example is authorized as an alternate. We may file the airport with only a GPS approach as an alternate provided the weather minimums meet the non precision alternate minimums of not less than a ceiling of 800 feet and visibility of 2 miles.

Example 1 :

Lets plan an IFR flight from KORL to KLAL in an aircraft with a WAAS certified GPS, no ADF and no DME. The weather forecast for KLAL is ceiling 200 overcast with 1 mile visibility. We decide to use KTPF as our alternate because the weather forecast is 1000 overcast and 2 miles visibility. Since KTPF has a GPS approach and we have a WAAS GPS, we can use the alternate minimums off 800 foot ceiling and 2 miles visibility.

Example 2:

Instead of filing the alternate in Example 1 we decide to use KBOW as our alternate. Lets assume the weather at KBOW is forecast to be ceiling 800 and 2 miles visibility. This is one case where we can file KBOW only if we have a WAAS GPS since if you look at the alternate minimums only the GPS approaches have minimums defined and the VOR Approach is not authorized as an alternate.

Florida Alternate Minimums

Example 3:

Using the same flight as above we decide to use KGIF as our alternate. Weather at KGIF Is forecast ceiling 800 visibility 2 miles. Again we can use this as an alternate because we have a WAAS GPS.

If we did have a VOR and DME in the aircraft we could have used KGIF as an alternate if our GPS was inoperative, but since we don't have DME we can only file as an alternate based on the published GPS approaches.

Conclusion

A WAAS certified GPS has enabled us to get into airports we could never have been able to fly to in the past. Legacy navigation systems including non directional beacons were the only way to fly into small and remote airports for many years. With higher minimums than WAAS we were many times unable to get into our destination because of the low ceilings thus diminishing the utility of many airports. Only 10 years ago I remember having to divert on many occasions because I could not get into my home airport. With WAAS GPS I am able to make it in more often.

The WAAS GPS also gives us more options for filing alternates especially if the airplane we are flying has no DME either because the equipment is inoperative or removed from the aircraft. With that said we must remember to comply with the rules concerning filing alternates and we must also comply with additional requirements concerning RAIM, which is a topic of an upcoming article. Also remember if you do not have a WAAS GPS different rules apply for finding an alternate, which I will discuss in a future article.

If you have invested in a WAAS GPS you have increased the utility and safety of your aircraft. With WAAS you will be able to land at more airports and choose more airports as alternates.

This Article Sponsored by:

World Of Water - A PADI 5-Star dive center located in Tampa, Florida

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Flying allows us to see the beauty of the world from a unique vantage and affords many the opportunity to visit destinations both near and far. Today's
destination is Bartow Airport and the Aviation Museum. The museum was found
serendipitously when I stopped to pick up a friend at the Bartow airport. I wandered into
the brand new building to discover a treasure trove of pictures and artifacts from a time
when the airfield was used as a military training base.

History of The Bartow Army Airfield
In 1941 the mayor of Bartow acquired the land. Subsequently the land was taken over by the United States Government and developed as a training
base for the Army Air Corps. After the war, ownership of the airport passed back and
forth between the Government and the City of Bartow.

The United States government paid civilian contractors to provide initial flight training
and operate the airport for military training. The program was terminated in 1960 and
the airport was turned over to the city one final time. The airport now is a self supporting
through a mix of industrial park, fuel sales, and rent from tenants.

Museum Exhibits

Display cases throughout the museum and the terminal building offer a glimpse into not
only the importance of this aviation training base, but into the individual lives affected by
the base. Stories of the people who developed life long friendships are related through
pictures, printed stories, and video.

One such friendship ended in tragedy when two hometown buddies flying in separate airplanes collided with each other during a practice bombing
over Lake Hancock. Both where lost with and entombed in their P-51B aircraft at the
bottom of the lake. Years later aircraft parts where recovered and are now on display in
the museum. The exhibit is now a constant reminder of the dangers brought by war
both on the battle field and during training to become a soldier.

Lunch and a Rocking Chair

A great way to relax is to watch airplanes take off and land outside the window while eating breakfast or lunch at the Flight Line Grill. Adjacent to
the museum, the Terminal Grill offers comfort food at a reasonable price. After a meal step outside on the large patio and watch the planes fly in and out. Most days you will see a variety of aircraft flying at Bartow airport and you might even see a historic restored aircraft fly by.

Close to Disney and other Central Florida Attractions.

Located off I-4 between Orlando and Tampa you can make this a quick visit during your
vacation in Florida. For those flying into Bartow you can park in front of the terminal and
visit the museum only steps away.

For More Information:

Bartow Airport Museum Room

Fantasy Of Flight, Polk City, Florida:
An Aviation Attraction Where Dreams Of Flight Come True.

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One more approach and we were done for the day. We chose the RNAV 35 at Peter O. Knight Airport in Tampa, FL (KTPF) which takes us over the manatee viewing area over Apollo Beach.

My student reviewed the weather, loaded the approach into the GPS, and briefed the approach. All was going well until the controller issued the clearance "cleared direct HUMKI, maintain three thousand, cleared for the RNAV 35 approach".

The flight plan page was selected, HUMKI highlighted and the direct-to button was pressed. NAV was selected on the autopilot and we were on our way towards HUMKI for one turn in the hold which should position us for the inbound course, or that is what we though we where doing.

It was a typical fall morning in Tampa Bay, smooth cool air without a bump the entire flight. Relaxed and enjoying the wonderful views I thought to myself, boy this is going to be a great end to the day until I noticed something odd, two magenta letters MH next to HUMKI on my GPS.

"Why does it show we are holding at the missed approach point when we are just starting the approach?" I said with a perplexed tone. My student looked up at me from under his view limiting device with an even more confused expression indicating both of us did not realized what had happened.

It suddenly dawned on us that we had selected HUMKI on the flight plan but the wrong HUMKI. HUMKI is displayed twice, once as an initial approach fix and then as the holding point for the missed approach. We had selected the later and were navigating towards our missed approach point.

We quickly reactivated the approach and then began flying direct-to HUMKI for one turn in the hold to realigning ourselves for the inbound course. To my delight a magenta IA was after the waypoint HUMKI and the word hold was displayed in the flight plan. Proceeding towards the initial approach fix opposed to the missed approach holding point defined by HUMKI I began to reflect on what went wrong and why.

Lessons Learned

When preparing for the approach either activate the approach or proceed direct-to a fix on the approach. Using the direct-to a fix on the approach will automatically activate the approach in the G430W.

Before pressing the direct button it is good idea to take a moment and verify you have selected the correct point along the approach. This is especially important when the fix defines multiple points along the approach. In our case HUMKI is the Intermediate Fix, Final Approach Fix, And the Missed Approach Holding Fix.

As is true with most buttons in the aircraft it is best to take your time when selecting and pressing any switch or button on the GPS. Next time you hit direct-to make sure you look at the fix and verify that you have entered it properly. Most airline operating procedures require both pilots to verify any fix prior to entering it into the navigation equipment. Maybe we should adopt this methodology in the aircraft we fly. Verbally say to yourself "selected" and "verified" each time you make a change to your navigation system and you will have less entry errors while flying.

Due to the recent accident of a US Airways jet landing in the Hudson River caused by a possible bird strike, I have decided to publish my presentation on Bird Strikes Hazards and Avoidance. You will need powerpoint to view the presentation.

http://www.expertaviator.com/images/BirdStrikesHazardsandAvoidance.ppt

A morning flight is truly a treat. The air is smooth and the the sun presents a spectacular natural light show, transitioning from an amber glow to a yellow beam of light. An anticipatory smile grew on my face as I woke one fall morning, expecting an exciting day of flying ahead.

This seemed a perfect morning for a flight lesson, with a clear blue sky above and calm winds. My student John is a quick study, and I was expecting to complete training for his complex endorsement on this day.

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Flying towards Houston on a clear night, I sat reclined in my seat, watching the brilliant and sparkling cities slipping slowly under the aircraft. As I gazed through the front window, the area ahead appeared to me as a large black hole devoid of the familiar small dots, signifying civilization ahead . It was at this moment I remembered I should turn on the Radar to see what might be in the dark abyss ahead.

I was confident there would be no significant weather on our route of flight except for some light rain showers. Waiting for the radar to begin displaying, I turned to the mechanic in the jump seat. Enjoying the great weather along our route, we both agreed we disliked flying near or through thunderstorms.

I noticed a look of worry in his face as he lifted his hand and motioned towards the instrument panel. He seemed to turn slightly pale when he announced, "this doesn't look good". As the radar came to life a large round red blob displayed 100 miles ahead and over our destination. I could feel my heart rate increase. Did I not read the weather forecast properly?

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