Table Of ContentWeather Flying
Robert N. Buck
Robert O. Buck
Fifth Edition
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For Leighton Collins.
About the Authors
Robert N. Buck (1914–2007) was a leading aviation author who set a New York
to Los Angeles speed record in 1930 at the age of 16. He began a career with
TWA in 1937, initially flying the DC-2 and DC-3. During World War II he flew
with the Air Transport Command, until as a civilian he headed a bad-weather
research project for the U.S. Army Air Forces, flying a Boeing B-17 bomber; for
this he was awarded the Air Medal. He also participated in early thunderstorm
research, penetrating storms in a P-61 Black Widow. Post-war he was briefly
TWA’s chief pilot, then returned to the cockpit to fly over 2,000 trans-Atlantic
crossings, as well as served on numerous aviation committees on safety, weather,
and U.S. supersonic transport efforts. He retired as a Boeing 747 captain, then
remained active through aviation consulting, wrote four more books, and
remained an active pilot until age 88.
Robert O. Buck is a retired Delta Air Lines captain, with roots in general
aviation, where he remains an active pilot, flying light aircraft and sailplanes. He
soloed gliders at 15 and a beloved Cessna 120 at 16, and retired flying Boeing
767s internationally. His aviation path has also included competitive soaring,
flight instruction, aircraft sales, commuter airline flying, and serving as Technical
Editor for Business & Commercial Aviation magazine.
Contents
About Some People
Preface to the Fifth Edition
Introduction to the First Edition
1. Weather Flying
2. A Little Theory for Weather Flying
That Important Dewpoint
How Air Cools
Season and Time of Day
Terrain
Wind
Clouds
3. Some Thoughts on Checking Weather
It Isn’t Easy
It’s Approved and Official
How It Works
You Are the Meteorologist
You Are the Captain!
4. Checking Weather and the Big Picture
The Big Picture
No Surprises
Satellites and Some NEXRAD
What Do Satellites Show?
Valid Old Map Thoughts
Where We Find This Computerized Weather
Get the Picture First
On Days Off, Too
A Deeper Look at the Map
Watch the Slow Lows
The Wind Speed Tells a Story
Highs Are Not Always Nice
Look Up
A Meteorologist’s Big Picture from the Web
5. Getting That Weather Information
Always Learning Where and How
Some Extra Sources
No One Said It Was Easy
Hired Help
Opening Remarks to the FSS—and Ourselves
Synoptic Again
Look Ahead
The Real Thing
6. Weather Details—What They Tell Us
VFR—Not Easy
MVFR
MVFR Is Not Static
IFR—Not to Worry
Test the Forecast
The Late Weather
Regulations Aren’t the Important Criteria
Pollution and Visibility
How Do You Feel?
More about Wind
Altimeter Setting
Temperature and Dewpoint Again
PIREPs
On the Ground, Too
Summing Up
7. Checking Weather for the Route
Weather Is Mostly Good
Something on Fronts
Occlusions and Zippers
Large-Area Weather
The Important Northeast Corner
Go the Short Way
It Takes Time to Know
Why and If
Don’t Fear Weather …
… Or Worry about It
8. Equipment Needs for Weather Flying
It’s Farther Than You Think
Fuel and the Law
Fuel Again
Instruments and Autopilots
Where the Instruments Live
We Can Keep It Simple
A Little More to Do a Lot
Things Can Be Better
Even Better
The Future Will Be Even Better
The Protected Airplane
Power for Instruments
Lighted Well
Paperwork and Gadgets Are Equipment, Too
Go Fast Slowly
Good Housekeeping
An Extra Hand
Navigation
Radar and Lightning Detection Systems
9. Temperature, an Important Part of Weather Flying
Temperature and Density
We Better Figure It Out
How Hot, How High?
Engines Don’t Like It Hot
10. Some Psychology of Weather Flying
Self-Discipline
Think, for Real
11. Turbulence and Flying It
Kinds of Turbulence
How We Fly Turbulence
Convective-Layer Turbulence
It’s Rougher Than You Think
Dust Devils
Turbulence Near Mountains and Ridges
Mountain Waves
Turbulence Up High
Where Is It?
The Tropopause and CAT
The Tropopause Is Important
Shear
