Bumps in the air usually add spice to a flight. How big the bumps and how to enjoy flying through them is our Weather to Fly discussion here. Lets start by looking at two completely different attitudes to flying in the bumps.
The hard core soaring pilot isn’t happy unless the nose of the aircraft is pointed at the ground but climbing at 2000 foot per minute into big cumulus clouds. The bigger the bump, the higher the potential climb rate. Happy to have clouds forming around and barely maintain visual contact with the earth. Wakes up and gets ready to fly after brunch is finished on Sunday.
The New Ultralight Pilot. Scared if has to react to any atmospheric movement what so ever. Lands immediately when first bump is felt, even if it is his own wake turbulence. Wakes up automatically three hours before sunrise to evaluate the weather and takes off 30 minutes before sunrise with a strobe.
Most of us are somewhere in between these two extremes. But we normally start off flying in calm air and develop a bump tolerance as we progress in our flying career.
What are bumps and turbulance?
Bumps and turbulence are simply the result if flying through air that is moving at different speeds and directions. Bumps is a common term used by pilots many times for lighter to moderately active air, where the word turbulence is used by pilots for stronger air. Turbulence is also the FAA definition for bumps. The terms “bumps” and “turbulence” generally can be used interchangeably.
Here we will focus on atmospheric turbulence which is the result of thermals or wind rather than mechanical turbulence, which is the result of flying in the lee side of buildings, trees or mountains.
The FAA provides a good definition of bumps and turbulence that we will use in our discussion here. Light turbulence are minor bumps you can feel but are not considered uncomfortable, with slight changes in altitude and attitude. Light chop is rhythmic bumps with little change in altitude and attitude.
Moderate turbulence is significant changes in altitude and attitude, but the aircraft remains in positive control at all times. There are strains against seat belts. Experienced pilots call it “BUMPY” and newer pilots are may be stressed and wishing they were safely on the ground. Severe turbulence is large and abrupt changes in altitude with the aircraft momentarily out of control. Extreme turbulence is when the aircraft is violently tossed about and practically impossible to control. Ultralight and Sport pilots should stay out of severe and especially avoid extreme turbulence.
How do we develop tolerance for light and
ultimately moderate turbulence?
Hopefully, your instructor took you up to fly in some wind and bumps before you started soloing to prepare and show you that they are not that bad if you know how to handle them. But when first learning to solo, your instructor provides you limitations so you avoid moderate bumps when first flying the aircraft on your own. This develops your ability to maintain altitude plus pitch and roll attitude by flying in relatively smooth air. Flying comfortably and perfecting your skills in calm air is the first step in developing skills for bumps. This could be 20 to 50 hours of air time in light air.
My bump proverb provided to students:
“Do not look for the bumps, the bumps will find you”
My bump proverb provided to students: “Do not look for the bumps, the bumps will find you”. Even though you do your “Weather to Fly” and predict the air conditions reasonably well, you will encounter turbulence in your desire for smooth air. Little bumps will feel big at first.
If you do the five step Weather to Fly procedure for sport pilots, you have a good chance of not having the bumps get bigger than you capabilities. A significant problem in getting used to bumps in not usually the ability to deal with them, it is the fear of the unknown. Gradually fly later in the mornings as the bumps usually increase and work up your tolerance slowly. Take a lesson from a qualified instructor in light to moderate turbulance.
If you know how to gage how big the bumps are, than it will help you realize if you are in light to moderate turbulence and can evaluate the situation. Realizing you are in light and not medium turbulence, is the first step to developing bump tolerance.
Here are some guidelines I use to describe light turbulence for ultralight and sport pilots based on flying a constant airspeed, constant throttle flying straight :
1. No more than five MPH variation in airspeed induced by the bumps.
2. No more than 20 degrees bank induced flying straight.
3. No more than 300 foot per minute variation up or down induced by the bumps.
You will probably get light turbulence even if you do your weather and hope for calm conditions. Soaring pilots will not even bother to go flying but new motorized pilots might consider this scary at first. Light turbulence should be easy to maintain control even for newer pilots. The secret is to evaluate how bad it is quantitivly, rather than let your emotions run wild and make bad decisions.
Moderate turbulence can similarly be described as:
1. 6 to 12 MPH variation in airspeed induced by turbulence.
2. 20 to 40 degrees bank induced flying straight.
3. 300 to 1000 foot per minute variation up or down in vertical speed from normal.
Soaring pilots seek moderate turbulence to provide the ability to climb and fly cross country by riding the updrafts. New ultralight or Sport Pilots would have their hands full maintaining control and would probably want to be safely on the ground. Experienced ultralight or Sport Pilots can handle moderate turbulence this but would be happier finding lighter air to fly in.
If you get into the situation of severe or even extreme turbulence, simply focus of flying the aircraft straight and level, stay away from the ground and find better air.
Summary tips for managing bumps and developing bump tolerance:
1. Do your Weather to Fly preflight preparation to predict what the air will be doing.
2. Learn to fly competently in calm air or light turbulence before you fly in moderate turbulence.
3. Evaluate the turbulence objectively and determine its real classification.
4. If you get in turbulence above your abilities or comfort level, focus on flying the aircraft straight and level and evaluate the situation to find better air.
Developing your abilities to actively control the aircraft and enjoy the air while flying through light and moderate turbulence, allows you to fly more and the ability to fly cross country.