Amazing wind map

[Don Lindsay]

Check out

http://hint.fm/wind/

and give it a minute to warm up. Dang.

[NickAir]

Could be me, but it won't load??

[Bob Axsom]

This appears to be the same thing as posted by Rocket Bob. Other than "gee Whiz" conception value it does nothing for me as far as flight planning is concerned. What do you get out of it?

Bob Axsom

[Don]

After the gee whiz factor, it was a great illustration of wind movement in high and low pressure systems. Imagining weather and wind movement is high on my list of pilot skills, and that started 30+ years ago when I was hang gliding. There's nothing like a 50 mph gust front to ruin an otherwise great afternoon of mountain soaring.

As for flight planning, I doubt that there was any intention on the part of the designer to do use the tool for that. However, in terms of flight planning, I was intrigued with how the map might be able provide some general information on where to find the best winds and weather on a long XC. It highlights the adage - 'time to spare, go by air.' For short hops - say a couple hundred miles or less, which is what most of my XC flying is, it didn't seem very useful beyond perhaps suggesting what's already obvious.

But, as a visualization tool, which I think is far more important than my formal flight training would suggest, I think it's great. I wonder if it might actually be helpful in predicting turbulence or mountain wave conditions. If so, that would be a pretty helpful flight planning tool.

[bird]

It can help the free flight modelers know where to go find their gliders?

bird