The Journey of Flight.pdf - Valkyrie Cadet

An airplane moving on the
ground can also experience weather
problems. Wet runways can cause
an airplane’s tires to hydroplane
(slide on a film of water), making
braking ineffective and causing
skidding. Wet runways can affect
both takeoffs and landings. Similar
incidents or accidents have occurred
when a runway was glazed
with ice or covered in snow, too
deep for the aircraft’s landing gear
to work properly.
F-16 Landing on a Rain-slick Runway
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T38 -As in the Clouds
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Visual Flight Rules (VFR). These
are the general weather conditions the
FAA considers a pilot can expect at the
surface. VFR criteria mean a cloud
ceiling greater than 3,000 feet and
greater than 5 miles visibility. If any clouds
are around, the noninstrument pilot must
stay clear of them.
Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
Weather conditions at an airport during
which a pilot must use instruments
to assist takeoff and landing. IFR conditions
mean the minimum cloud ceiling
is greater than 500 feet and less
than 1,000 feet, and visibility is greater
than 1 mile and less than 3 miles.
Clouds, Rain, Snow, Fog and Obstructions.
Visibility is reduced to
zero if an airplane is flying within a
cloud. Different types of fog pose a hazard to all aviation activities, and this includes up-to-date
military and civilian aircraft—if you can’t see the landing area or runway, it isn’t safe to land. Rain,
especially intense rain, can reduce visibility to the hazard level and snow greatly reduces visibility.