Weather woes....errr

[miyu1975]

Three of my last four cross country flights have been canceled due to weather..the third trip setting up to be cxl'd Thursday. My wife is doing a full ironman in Panama City, fl and I was planning to leave Thursday or Friday from Indy. Like most pilots I have kept a close watch on the weather for the last week. Looks like there is big system pushing into the Midwest...Thursday high winds and t storms for indy, then the same for Panama City on Friday.. Dang it if I have to drive. ..thx for reading rant.

[Kyle Boatright]

Keep watching. Weather changes.

There is a reasonable chance that a late afternoon departure on Friday would work.

[Bill.Peyton]

It looks like Wednesday AM may good on the way down and Sun on way back. Have you ever seen this product?

http://weather.unisys.com/mos/mos_de...hp?inv=0&t=36h

or this

http://weather.unisys.com/mos/mos_gf...gfs&t=1d&inv=0

[miyu1975]

Thanks bill, I have not..looks like a good site. Can't leave wed..gotta work.

[rwarre]

Was planning a flight from Colorado to Ind, but also noticed the thunderstorms in the Midwest on Thursday. Even though I am IFR, I have had second thoughts about flying into that weather. Friday looks like a better plan.

[N15JB]

Originally Posted by miyu1975

Three of my last four cross country flights have been canceled due to weather..the third trip setting up to be cxl'd Thursday. My wife is doing a full ironman in Panama City, fl and I was planning to leave Thursday or Friday from Indy.

No clue about the weather, but the Panama City Ironman is a great triathlon. Your wife should have a blast.

Jim Berry
RV-10

[miyu1975]

Well, today was go or nogo day for my departure from indy to Panama City.

It wasn't the rain that was an issue, it was fairly light rain.. Visibility was fine, foreflight showed 7plus all the way. Ceilings were 8000, ok there too. The biggest factor was wind.. Foreflight was showing I would have a 50 kt head wind at 6000 or so, with winds picking and predicted to get worse I decided to drive.

On the road I kept checking the wx and winds aloft, you know, to make sure I made right decision. At one point winds aloft showed 70kts from 200 at 3000, 90kts at 6000. Several PIREPS reported mod/sev turb at 6000.

Today was definitely a day not to be flying an rv in the midwest.. How does that saying go...I would rather be on the ground wishing I was flying, than flying and wishing I was on the ground.

[BobTurner]

Originally Posted by miyu1975

On the road I kept checking the wx and winds aloft, you know, to make sure I made right decision.
....I would rather be on the ground wishing I was flying, than flying and wishing I was on the ground.

Never second guess a no-go decision. If you don't find that once in a while you cancel and the wx turns out to be not so bad, then for sure some day you will find yourself up there, wishing you were down here.

[Don]

Originally Posted by BobTurner

Never second guess a no-go decision. If you don't find that once in a while you cancel and the wx turns out to be not so bad, then for sure some day you will find yourself up there, wishing you were down here.

Well said. You're absolutely right Bob (and not just in flying).

[Clarkie]

Flew the RV From Charlotte to Boston on Wednesday to be a part of the winning festivities and maybe score tickets. No such luck on the tickets, but the party was fun.

Flew up there with some marginal conditions, but it worked out fine once we got on top at 11,500. The next day was a different story. 300 OVC with tops at 12000, but freezing levels starting at 6. Contemplated going low and filing IFR, but decided to park it it the hangar for a few days and glad I did. When I got home on US Air, I called FSS. PIREPS of lower than forecast icing and lots of complaints of mod/sev turb at all altitudes. It wasn't a fun ride on an Airbus all the way to TOC, would've been real nasty in the -6. Some days it just pays to play it safe and smart and be inconvenienced. Good call, Ryan!