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Instructor » Mountain Flying » Wind Awareness

Wind Awareness

  • Forecast conditions including synoptic
  • ‘Fluid’ flow concept of air between, over and around terrain
  • Significance of wind direction relative to terrain
  • Wind patterns less than 15kts
  • Wind patterns greater than 15kts
  • Local patterns and effects
  • Upper winds compared to lower winds i.e. comparison of wind in a valley with wind at altitude
  • Indicators of wind velocity at altitude, for example
    • snow
    • drift
    • lift/sink patterns
    • VSI indications
    • wave
    • cloud movement
  • Indicators of lower level wind velocity, for example
    • tussocks
    • water ripples/lanes on stationary water and wind shadow on water
    • poplars
    • willows
    • crop
    • smoke/dust
    • drift, and drift indicators
    • G/S versus A/S
    • cloud shadows as indicator of upper wind and its influence on lower level wind
  • Lift, sink, rotor, wave and turbulence
  • Cloud types as indicators of potential flying conditions
  • Applicability of Va and Vno
  • Katabatic/anabatic winds in a valley
  • Choice of flying low versus flying high