I know all about sleeping on an old, stinky (yes, it smelled a little bad), uncomfortable couch in a very small FBO building at a tiny, rural airport. A few years ago, I made a diversion due to weather on a long cross-country flight back home to Florida and landed at 2R0 in Waynesboro, MS. There was nobody there when I landed, there was no Uber or other transportation, there was not even a convenience store nearby to get a snack and water. I had to ask the local sheriff to give me a ride into to town to get some supplies for the night. I was thankful for what we southern folks describe as “southern hospitality” because everyone was just as nice as could be. The funny part is once on the ground I realized I could have easily made it over to KPIB in Hattiesburg but I wasn’t going to take off again. Long story short, it was a great learning experience and I am still here today to tell the story. Thank you !!
Goal, IFR before Fall. I had a meeting to be to, flying a 182 through New Mexico to Texas. Afternoon thunderstorms started developing. I had XM Weather at the time. Tried to avoid weather, but became difficult and turbulent. Diverted to Gallup NM. Landed. Tied plane down. Ended up being one of strongest thunderstorms they had for a while. Called meeting to let them know I wouldn't make it. That was about 15 years ago and I'm here to tell about it.
15/15 - and I'm on a trip outside the USA! Great series, Jason! My diversion story: I was under 100 hours, (flying my own recently acquired airplane!) and on a trip to Falmouth (Cape Cod.) Ceilings were supposed to be 5000' As I was nearing Woods Hole, I found myself at 1500' and dropping. ATC asked where I was heading, at which time I realized that I was following the shoreline, heading towards the Cape Cod Canal... (not the airport) I heard that voice in my head: "turn 180 degrees back" So, I announced that this is what I would do. I would head to my alternate, (New Bedford.) As I rolled out, I was in solid IMC. I had no voice, and fixated on my instruments for a couple minutes, following the course to the airport. Then, I looked outside, and saw the world, and wings-level. Landed without incident or fanfare. THAT SAID, I was FURIOUS! I did the right thing!! I executed a 180, back where I had just been moments before, and went from crappy visibility to nuthin! Hindsight, I should have turned back 10 minutes earlier, when I noticed the lower bases. Live and Learn - Learn to Live!
One often overlooked element of go/no go decisions is that checks like IMSAFE and PAVE are not static. Fatigue builds as a flight goes on. Every minute of flight means less fuel and fewer options), weather changes, etc. A go/no go decision is not something you make just before the flight. It's a continual process until you land.
15/15. I had to divert once when my radio went out. I landed outside the delta I was flying to. Called the tower and arranged my approach and they brought me in with the light gun! Wouldn't want to do it again, but it was a really neat experience...
15 for 15. Great content as usual, Jason. Years ago, I was flying home to Alabama from working on a recording project in North Carolina. I had 2 band members with me in the Cherokee Archer. All day, I had been adamant that we needed to leave the studio in time to get me to the airport by 3pm, because weather was moving in later that day. We didn't leave the studio until 5pm and I wasn't airborne until closer to 6pm. As we flew southwest through the Blue Ridge Mountains, the weather started to get worse and worse. Finally, I asked ATC to divert me to the nearest airport, which was Sylva, NC - a 3,000 foot runway on top of a 3,000 foot mountain. I parked the plane, we found a ride into town, and got a hotel. The next morning, got a rental car and drove 5 hours to get home, leaving the airplane in NC. I had to wait 5 days for the weather to clear up enough so that I could drive back to bring the plane home. There is SO much more to this story, but I'm thankful that I made the choice to divert. I'm certain we would've never made it out of the mountains if we had progressed further. Sure, it was inconvenient. But it was safe and necessary.
Diverted due to weather on my first 2 stop cross country while a private pilot student. I probably would have made it into my second stop but would not have made it out for at least a few hours. I returned to my home base and completed the required cross country on another day.
15 for 15: On my first commercial cross country I had to divert from my intended airport KLBX to KELA because a thunderstorm. What was even more interesting was on the return flight to KGTU I made a foolish decision to fly between to cells that were about 50nm apart. It was a very bumpy ride. It was the only time I was in the air wishing I was on the ground.
15/15. I've seen weather gone bad during pattern flying from 1 circuit to the next. That;'s within 5 minutes. My goal for 2023 is my PPL, once I have my 50 hours cross country I intend to do my IR and NR.
Thanks Jason. This can't be said enough. Was planning a day trip to fly out and see my mom. Weather briefing that morning was for marginal VFR, moderate turbulence and possible convective activity. Not always a deal killer, but I decided my family wouldn't appreciate moderate turbulence and it wasn't worth taking a chance on taking them into something none of us would enjoy. We jumped in the car and drove. 15/15. Thanks again.
15/15!! These are great videos!! My first diversion was on my first solo XC. A thunderstorm popped up over my first destination and I had to divert to my second destination. A call to my instructor, recalculation of weather and flight plan and back to home airport I went. I had to do it again, but it showed me how fast thunderstorms pop up.
I helped a friend of a friend ferry his airplane from home to another airport due to injury. We left an aero park near Albuquerque (neighborhood with a runway) in a Cessna 150 and found I couldn’t return and land on the 30’ wide runway with a crosswind. High altitude environment, afternoon in summer lead to dangerous density altitude. Continued to Double Eagle north of Alb and found one runway closed with 20+ mph direct crosswinds on other runway. Diverted to Alb (class C) and arrived 2000’ AGL. Got a talking to on frequency by nice tower controller. Made many many many mistakes. Lived to learn from them all…with badly bruised ego. Great job with videos Jason!
15 for 15. I stopped and landed before our home destination due to deteriorating weather. Rented a car and drove home. Drove the car back after work the next day and flew the plane home. My wife still praises me for making this good decision.
Here is a funny diversion true story: On our return home flight to KCMA, although the weather was forecasted to be clear, thunderstorms started to form. We were near Harris Ranch (308) so we landed, and after checking in the hotel decided to relax after our hurried weather diversion, with a dip in the "outdoor" hot tub. Well, there were 3 or 4 other couples already in, so we joined. Oh by the way, they also were pilots who were forced to divert. We are all sitting there talking when a little boy and his mother came walking by. The little boy asks him mom if he could get in the hot tub. She the says no, there is lightening close by. Well we all had this OH..... moment as we REALIZED WE WERE SITTING in hot tub out in the Open. True pilot diversion!
As a new pilot, flying back to my outback station home, I experienced very heavy left wing down and fuel flow problems from that wing. Diverted to an outback airstrip eight miles away - short, rough and only half useable. But landed safely and fixed the problem- an air bubble. Phew. I might have made it…. But I might not. Made the right decision.
15 for 15! I was flying from KBJC to 3CK outside of Chicago. There were two planes behind me within 30 minutes. As I approached my fueling point of Omaha there was a cell forming and the decision, while major, was clear - divert to Lincoln. The controller asked me for the reason to divert and I thought for sure he could see the weather. I assume he needed me to declare the reason. We landed just as the gust from hit Lincoln. We taxied in to the FBO and decided to spend the night! The next two pilots made the same decision!
14 for 15. Made a diversion, back before I was IFR, haze got thicker as I progressed, about 75% to KIDI, the ground disappeared. Called KPITT APCH (was on vfr flight following) told them (not ask) I was making a 180. APCH immediately vectored other traffic away for a minute, then asked my intentions, I requested vectors to KAGC, landed with family aboard… 90 mins latter the trough was gone south, and completed the trip.
15 for 15! I haven't been in a situation yet that I've had to divert. The closes I have come is a sudden high cross wind/gusts at my home airport. I did 3 go-arounds and I told myself that if I had to do a 4th go-around, I would divert to a nearby airport with a crosswind runway. I was able to land safely on the 4th try, so didn't need to divert in the end.
Had to divert on my way to AirVenture Oshkosh one year, with a flight of 2 C172's. (talk about Get-there-itis!). Lost my alternator coming over lake Michigan from Michigan. Landed at the closest airport near the shore and got the repair a couple hours later. Was glad i had through flight plan and another pilot to keep nerves in check. We made it to OshKosh later that day and had a great time and didn't have to ditch the airplane in lake michigan. (which we also landed before the lake crossing and filed for following and briefed passengers on ditching procedures)
Checking in 15/15 and yes, my goal for 2023 is an instrument rating. Working on written prep right now and hopefully get some decent weather so I can start building my cross-country and sim instrument training hours.
15 for 15, Jason. Another great topic. So far I've had four diversions. Two involved unforecasted weather, one mechanical, and one for a closed runway due to a disabled aircraft. These things happen and having a plan B (ie: enroute alternates) established ahead of time makes the decision that much easier. Thank you so much for a great refresher, Jason. You're awesome! 🙂👍
15/15 ! I diverted sometime because of the weather: stronger wind, lower cieling, more CB than forecasted. I organise since 13 years, with my aeroclub, a trip once a month. We have to cancel almost 4 times out of 10 because of the weather. We decide tout change our destination, before departing, 2 times out of ten. Weather conditions are changing our final destination, in flight, just from time to time. Not so often in fact. Thanks to the En-route ATC, in France, we can quickly spread the information to the other airplanes. I lost several "non refundable" hotel nights, but I do not care, I can tell the story... In our group we have 3 rules: rule#1 safety; rule#2 Safety; rule#3 SAFETY. After that we can enjoy flying our airplanes. Beyond that thank you for the videos and thank you for the challenge.
Very soon on IFR. Last diversion was into KCHA intended airport was a small one nested in hills I’d never been to before. The day just went too long and it got dark wasn’t comfortable landing at uncontrolled, unfamiliar in the Smokey’s. Landed safe got a rental drove another hour. Good trip
Jason, another great video and timely for me as I made just such a diversion this Wednesday. I filed from Tallahassee to Destin and the weather was absolutely beautiful. 6,000 put me just above a scattered layer and the farther I flew the taller the clouds got and the more of them I had to fly through. Tyndall approach warned me of a line of weather that popped up 13 miles ahead and I watched it on ADS-B until I knew I wasn't comfortable. I turned around and went to Apalachicola, rented a car, and drove home. When I caught up to that line in the car it was raining so hard I could hardly see. Thanks for helping us all stay safe!
15/15. My first diversion was on my way to my PPL checkride! Surprised by fog at destination before leaving the DC SFRA. Asked ATC to return (and threw in a "student pilot" caveat).
When I got my Garmin 496 with XM Weather it changed everything. To be able to see the weather in semi real-time was a huge boost to safety. I felt confident to go, felt confident to find an alternate route or stop short. Never to penetrate weather, only for wide end-runs. I've even diverted to avoid nasty crosswinds at a fuel stop to an airport with intersecting runways, but more expensive fuel.
Twice I had to divert on my solo cross countries when working towards my PPL. Both attempting to go over the same pass and finding a blanket of cloud on the other side, easy decision to make. Just last year I went away for the weekend at a national rally and was unsure about the weather coming home but so many people were telling me I would be fine so I headed off. The cloud just kept getting lower I decided to land at the next airfield near my route. I got really close to it but the cloud was just too low for me to feel safe going onwards. So I made a radio call to info to find out the cloud at the closest controlled airport. They were able to give me the weather which allowed me to make a quick decision to divert there. Was really relieved the following day when I finally made it home. The flight there had been interesting enough as I had decided not to go on at one point due to strong winds.
I've never had to divert. I came close once on an IFR approach to Dalhart, TX. But just as I got to the decision altitude, I broke out, and there was the runway... I pretty much never fly anymore if there's any chance of bad weather. Maybe that's why I'm still here. 15/15
15/15. Great reminder that radar data is not real time and that you don't have to follow ATC instructions if they don't suit you! Next on the list is my instrument rating indeed. Had to divert recently because my destination airport had parachute jumping happening at my time of arrival... Went to a neighboring airport.
I had to make a diversion on the xc with my flight instructor when one of the engine cylinders was starting to run hotter than the rest and on top of that we didn't know if we would complete the whole route before sunset so we turned around and went back.
15 for 15 from Hungary🇭🇺 Luckily I didn’t need to divert yet, but there was one lesson during my PPL training where I was supposed to go on a cross-country flight solo, but after taking off as I looked in the direction I planned to fly I realized that I won’t be able to make the trip due to fog settling in (despite the forecast saying it should be ok) so I immediately made the decision to stay in the traffic pattern and land back.
15/15 weather issues: it's often the fact that with weather related accidents, the weather the next day is good to go if only the pilot had made the no-go decision. No-one is that important that they have to be there - in some cases they never get there anyway except in a box.
I have diverted once. I was flying a Cessna 172 to a well known steak house for dinner. I had my wife as a passenger. The runway on the property was about 2 miles from the base of a 4000 foot mountain range, tall trees on short final and only '40 feet wide. I had landed here one other time without problem. On this occasion, I was able to fly a stable approach, but as I got to about 15 feet over the runway, there was a massive wind shift, or possibly a shear and I had to go around. Second approach, even though I was ready for the wind, I still couldn't keep the aircraft on centerline as the aircraft descended to about 15 feet, so I went around again. On the third try, the same thing happened again, so I departed straight out and flew the 1 hour back to home base with no steak dinner and instead ate Taco Bell that night. My theory is the winds were rolling in off of the mountains and as they were hitting those trees on short final, it was creating a tumbling effect which is what was causing the aircraft to want to go out of control. I am not ashamed to admit it, I was defeated and I ran out of talent. I'm just thankful I didn't lock in and try to force it. Maybe someone experienced in operating around mountain areas could shed light on what I was experiencing.
Sometimes the best part of xcountry flying is the unexpected. Spent a night in a less than stellar FBO when I brought my airplane home. Got to catch up on some emails, RUclips and even go through all the logs and owners manual while snacking on expired frozen burritos.
15/15 My cross country got deverted from Lansing to Pontiac via Detroit before I could get back on course. I know they forgot me but by the time I got back to Pontiac it was logged as a night flight.
15 for 15 Planning on additional IFR training after PP cert. Really enjoy the tidbits shared by my CFIs now, and the in-flight hood work. Listen on live atc during IFR days now. Haven’t diverted yet but will ask my CFI to inject such into my present Xcountry instruction. Thanks for that bug.
15-15 Jody Spann! Consistently immersed in the content of the private pilot boot camp for my upcoming knowledge exam and daily 31 day safer pilot challenge. Loving the new content Jason! Congrats to the whole team for stepping up the video presentation game.
15 for 15. I actually have a divert for weather story. I earned my IFR in a 172 with glass cockpit (G-1000) avionics. I also rent a PA-32R-301 Saratoga which has steam gauge instrumentation plus Garmin G-430. I was flying my family from Destin. Florida (KDTS) back to our home airport in New Orleans (KNEW, Lakefront AIrport). There was some weather between DTS and NEW, I chose to go around it and stay VFR because I am not as familiar with the avionics in the Saratoga for IMC operations as I would have been with a G-1000. It took us an extra 50 minutes to get home, but safety is more important than time.
I'm caught back up again... I also was watching that class Bravo video you mentioned just the other day it's good stuff! I want to get instrument rated as well as get my PPL but instrument rating may have to wait a while and I'll just have to divert in the event of a pop up or missed storm in my planning after I become a pilot. I'm so glad you're doing this series. I watch a lot of the AOPA analysis videos and it seems a lot of people get bitten by the get there bug.
15/15 catching up. Since I’m flying for fun, my goal went from owner an expensive aircraft and flying cross country to flying a lawn mower with wings, locally on nice days. We’re pretty much at a point that IFR ratings are for folks that want to do this for a living. At $210 per hour, rental plane and instructor, I’m out.
Well, #15 is done. I'll share my latest, but it was not really weather related, it was a controlled burn in our path of flight. Flying with my BIL (his first time in a small plane), turning south-south-west to skirt the KJAX Charlie airspace and come in on the west side of KVQQ (Cecil) before we headed back to KHEG (Herlong), my home airport. As we got a little closer, I saw a pretty large, controlled burn (we were at 4500'), but the smoke was definitely going west, right into our path. Decided to 'divert' a tad to the east, keeping my altitude but still staying clear of KJAX and made a kind of dog-legged approach around and south of it. Worked out perfectly and my passenger got to see I10, and Ocean Pond (near Lake City) as originally planned.
I know all about sleeping on an old, stinky (yes, it smelled a little bad), uncomfortable couch in a very small FBO building at a tiny, rural airport. A few years ago, I made a diversion due to weather on a long cross-country flight back home to Florida and landed at 2R0 in Waynesboro, MS. There was nobody there when I landed, there was no Uber or other transportation, there was not even a convenience store nearby to get a snack and water. I had to ask the local sheriff to give me a ride into to town to get some supplies for the night. I was thankful for what we southern folks describe as “southern hospitality” because everyone was just as nice as could be. The funny part is once on the ground I realized I could have easily made it over to KPIB in Hattiesburg but I wasn’t going to take off again. Long story short, it was a great learning experience and I am still here today to tell the story. Thank you !!
15 for 15. Instrument rating is one thing I would love to get this year.
Goal, IFR before Fall. I had a meeting to be to, flying a 182 through New Mexico to Texas. Afternoon thunderstorms started developing. I had XM Weather at the time. Tried to avoid weather, but became difficult and turbulent. Diverted to Gallup NM. Landed. Tied plane down. Ended up being one of strongest thunderstorms they had for a while. Called meeting to let them know I wouldn't make it. That was about 15 years ago and I'm here to tell about it.
15/15 - and I'm on a trip outside the USA! Great series, Jason!
My diversion story: I was under 100 hours, (flying my own recently acquired airplane!) and on a trip to Falmouth (Cape Cod.) Ceilings were supposed to be 5000' As I was nearing Woods Hole, I found myself at 1500' and dropping. ATC asked where I was heading, at which time I realized that I was following the shoreline, heading towards the Cape Cod Canal... (not the airport) I heard that voice in my head: "turn 180 degrees back" So, I announced that this is what I would do. I would head to my alternate, (New Bedford.) As I rolled out, I was in solid IMC. I had no voice, and fixated on my instruments for a couple minutes, following the course to the airport. Then, I looked outside, and saw the world, and wings-level. Landed without incident or fanfare. THAT SAID, I was FURIOUS! I did the right thing!! I executed a 180, back where I had just been moments before, and went from crappy visibility to nuthin! Hindsight, I should have turned back 10 minutes earlier, when I noticed the lower bases. Live and Learn - Learn to Live!
One often overlooked element of go/no go decisions is that checks like IMSAFE and PAVE are not static. Fatigue builds as a flight goes on. Every minute of flight means less fuel and fewer options), weather changes, etc. A go/no go decision is not something you make just before the flight. It's a continual process until you land.
15/15. To quote another RUclips aviation advocate : when you have time to spare, go by air. Diverting is an integral part of the charm of aviation.
15/15. I had to divert once when my radio went out. I landed outside the delta I was flying to. Called the tower and arranged my approach and they brought me in with the light gun! Wouldn't want to do it again, but it was a really neat experience...
15 for 15. Great content as usual, Jason.
Years ago, I was flying home to Alabama from working on a recording project in North Carolina. I had 2 band members with me in the Cherokee Archer. All day, I had been adamant that we needed to leave the studio in time to get me to the airport by 3pm, because weather was moving in later that day. We didn't leave the studio until 5pm and I wasn't airborne until closer to 6pm.
As we flew southwest through the Blue Ridge Mountains, the weather started to get worse and worse. Finally, I asked ATC to divert me to the nearest airport, which was Sylva, NC - a 3,000 foot runway on top of a 3,000 foot mountain. I parked the plane, we found a ride into town, and got a hotel. The next morning, got a rental car and drove 5 hours to get home, leaving the airplane in NC. I had to wait 5 days for the weather to clear up enough so that I could drive back to bring the plane home.
There is SO much more to this story, but I'm thankful that I made the choice to divert. I'm certain we would've never made it out of the mountains if we had progressed further. Sure, it was inconvenient. But it was safe and necessary.
Diverted due to weather on my first 2 stop cross country while a private pilot student. I probably would have made it into my second stop but would not have made it out for at least a few hours. I returned to my home base and completed the required cross country on another day.
15 for 15: On my first commercial cross country I had to divert from my intended airport KLBX to KELA because a thunderstorm. What was even more interesting was on the return flight to KGTU I made a foolish decision to fly between to cells that were about 50nm apart. It was a very bumpy ride. It was the only time I was in the air wishing I was on the ground.
15/15. I've seen weather gone bad during pattern flying from 1 circuit to the next. That;'s within 5 minutes. My goal for 2023 is my PPL, once I have my 50 hours cross country I intend to do my IR and NR.
Like wise. Joined a VFR circuit at FASH, landed, taxing to the hangars it turned IFR with sudden fog.
Thanks Jason. This can't be said enough. Was planning a day trip to fly out and see my mom. Weather briefing that morning was for marginal VFR, moderate turbulence and possible convective activity. Not always a deal killer, but I decided my family wouldn't appreciate moderate turbulence and it wasn't worth taking a chance on taking them into something none of us would enjoy. We jumped in the car and drove. 15/15. Thanks again.
15 for 15 more powerful when real experience is used 👊🏻
15/15!! These are great videos!! My first diversion was on my first solo XC. A thunderstorm popped up over my first destination and I had to divert to my second destination. A call to my instructor, recalculation of weather and flight plan and back to home airport I went. I had to do it again, but it showed me how fast thunderstorms pop up.
Trial by fire. Good job. 👌
I helped a friend of a friend ferry his airplane from home to another airport due to injury. We left an aero park near Albuquerque (neighborhood with a runway) in a Cessna 150 and found I couldn’t return and land on the 30’ wide runway with a crosswind. High altitude environment, afternoon in summer lead to dangerous density altitude. Continued to Double Eagle north of Alb and found one runway closed with 20+ mph direct crosswinds on other runway. Diverted to Alb (class C) and arrived 2000’ AGL. Got a talking to on frequency by nice tower controller.
Made many many many mistakes. Lived to learn from them all…with badly bruised ego.
Great job with videos Jason!
15 for 15. I stopped and landed before our home destination due to deteriorating weather. Rented a car and drove home. Drove the car back after work the next day and flew the plane home. My wife still praises me for making this good decision.
Here is a funny diversion true story:
On our return home flight to KCMA, although the weather was forecasted to be clear, thunderstorms started to form. We were near Harris Ranch (308) so we landed, and after checking in the hotel decided to relax after our hurried weather diversion, with a dip in the "outdoor" hot tub. Well, there were 3 or 4 other couples
already in, so we joined. Oh by the way, they also were pilots who were forced to divert. We are all sitting there talking when a little boy and his mother came walking by. The little boy asks him mom if he could get in the hot tub. She the says no, there is lightening close by. Well we all had this OH..... moment as we REALIZED WE WERE SITTING in hot tub out in the Open. True pilot diversion!
As a new pilot, flying back to my outback station home, I experienced very heavy left wing down and fuel flow problems from that wing. Diverted to an outback airstrip eight miles away - short, rough and only half useable. But landed safely and fixed the problem- an air bubble. Phew. I might have made it…. But I might not. Made the right decision.
15 of 15! Flying is fluid! Love it! Have a plan B, C, and D
15 of 15 London UK thanks again
15 for 15. Let’s keep it going. Thank you
15 for 15! Great information on an excellent topic!!
15 for 15! I was flying from KBJC to 3CK outside of Chicago. There were two planes behind me within 30 minutes. As I approached my fueling point of Omaha there was a cell forming and the decision, while major, was clear - divert to Lincoln. The controller asked me for the reason to divert and I thought for sure he could see the weather. I assume he needed me to declare the reason. We landed just as the gust from hit Lincoln. We taxied in to the FBO and decided to spend the night! The next two pilots made the same decision!
A fellow KBJC aviator!
14 for 15. Made a diversion, back before I was IFR, haze got thicker as I progressed, about 75% to KIDI, the ground disappeared. Called KPITT APCH (was on vfr flight following) told them (not ask) I was making a 180. APCH immediately vectored other traffic away for a minute, then asked my intentions, I requested vectors to KAGC, landed with family aboard… 90 mins latter the trough was gone south, and completed the trip.
Whaddaya got?
15/15 Jason checking in from KHPN - This information never gets old.... Thank you for emphasizing the importance.
15 for 15. Grasping our own mortality and setting aside our ego… keeping that at the forefront of our decision making, go no-go.
15/15 great information.
15 for 15! I haven't been in a situation yet that I've had to divert. The closes I have come is a sudden high cross wind/gusts at my home airport. I did 3 go-arounds and I told myself that if I had to do a 4th go-around, I would divert to a nearby airport with a crosswind runway. I was able to land safely on the 4th try, so didn't need to divert in the end.
Had to divert on my way to AirVenture Oshkosh one year, with a flight of 2 C172's. (talk about Get-there-itis!). Lost my alternator coming over lake Michigan from Michigan. Landed at the closest airport near the shore and got the repair a couple hours later. Was glad i had through flight plan and another pilot to keep nerves in check. We made it to OshKosh later that day and had a great time and didn't have to ditch the airplane in lake michigan. (which we also landed before the lake crossing and filed for following and briefed passengers on ditching procedures)
Thank you for all the information. We should also apply this rules to driving and boating. Safety First
Great ADM calling unable!
Checking in 15/15 and yes, my goal for 2023 is an instrument rating. Working on written prep right now and hopefully get some decent weather so I can start building my cross-country and sim instrument training hours.
15 for 15, Jason. Another great topic. So far I've had four diversions. Two involved unforecasted weather, one mechanical, and one for a closed runway due to a disabled aircraft. These things happen and having a plan B (ie: enroute alternates) established ahead of time makes the decision that much easier. Thank you so much for a great refresher, Jason. You're awesome! 🙂👍
15/15 !
I diverted sometime because of the weather: stronger wind, lower cieling, more CB than forecasted.
I organise since 13 years, with my aeroclub, a trip once a month. We have to cancel almost 4 times out of 10 because of the weather. We decide tout change our destination, before departing, 2 times out of ten. Weather conditions are changing our final destination, in flight, just from time to time. Not so often in fact. Thanks to the En-route ATC, in France, we can quickly spread the information to the other airplanes.
I lost several "non refundable" hotel nights, but I do not care, I can tell the story...
In our group we have 3 rules: rule#1 safety; rule#2 Safety; rule#3 SAFETY. After that we can enjoy flying our airplanes.
Beyond that thank you for the videos and thank you for the challenge.
Very soon on IFR. Last diversion was into KCHA intended airport was a small one nested in hills I’d never been to before. The day just went too long and it got dark wasn’t comfortable landing at uncontrolled, unfamiliar in the Smokey’s. Landed safe got a rental drove another hour. Good trip
Binge watching Jason! Loving the series! Thank you!
15 for 15! Great decision making makes for a great flight.
15 for 15. I am working on IFR now. Check ride should be in the next few weeks.
15/15…this is one of my favorites so far! Keep up the good work MzeroA team!
Jason, another great video and timely for me as I made just such a diversion this Wednesday. I filed from Tallahassee to Destin and the weather was absolutely beautiful. 6,000 put me just above a scattered layer and the farther I flew the taller the clouds got and the more of them I had to fly through. Tyndall approach warned me of a line of weather that popped up 13 miles ahead and I watched it on ADS-B until I knew I wasn't comfortable. I turned around and went to Apalachicola, rented a car, and drove home. When I caught up to that line in the car it was raining so hard I could hardly see. Thanks for helping us all stay safe!
I'm 15/15...outstanding content. I appreciate you and your team Jason
15/15. My first diversion was on my way to my PPL checkride! Surprised by fog at destination before leaving the DC SFRA. Asked ATC to return (and threw in a "student pilot" caveat).
15/15 Diverted more than once. Great subject that HAS to be top of mind on every flight!
When I got my Garmin 496 with XM Weather it changed everything. To be able to see the weather in semi real-time was a huge boost to safety. I felt confident to go, felt confident to find an alternate route or stop short. Never to penetrate weather, only for wide end-runs. I've even diverted to avoid nasty crosswinds at a fuel stop to an airport with intersecting runways, but more expensive fuel.
15 for 15 ✈️ enjoying the learning!
Twice I had to divert on my solo cross countries when working towards my PPL. Both attempting to go over the same pass and finding a blanket of cloud on the other side, easy decision to make.
Just last year I went away for the weekend at a national rally and was unsure about the weather coming home but so many people were telling me I would be fine so I headed off. The cloud just kept getting lower I decided to land at the next airfield near my route. I got really close to it but the cloud was just too low for me to feel safe going onwards. So I made a radio call to info to find out the cloud at the closest controlled airport. They were able to give me the weather which allowed me to make a quick decision to divert there. Was really relieved the following day when I finally made it home. The flight there had been interesting enough as I had decided not to go on at one point due to strong winds.
Thanks Jason. 15/15. I’m planning to do a RIFR and complete my Night Flying Rating soon
15 of 15! Wow this was a super video I can’t begin to list how many valuable nuggets I got from this.
15/15 Thanks Jason. Sure is fun learning with you and your team! Keep up the good work. I enjoy the 31 day challenge every year! jj
I've never had to divert. I came close once on an IFR approach to Dalhart, TX. But just as I got to the decision altitude, I broke out, and there was the runway... I pretty much never fly anymore if there's any chance of bad weather. Maybe that's why I'm still here. 15/15
15 for 15 awesome information, Jason thank you
15/15. Great reminder that radar data is not real time and that you don't have to follow ATC instructions if they don't suit you! Next on the list is my instrument rating indeed. Had to divert recently because my destination airport had parachute jumping happening at my time of arrival... Went to a neighboring airport.
15 for 15. Yes! My goal is to get my IFR and Commercial ratings this summer!
15 for 15, Thanks Jason!
I had to make a diversion on the xc with my flight instructor when one of the engine cylinders was starting to run hotter than the rest and on top of that we didn't know if we would complete the whole route before sunset so we turned around and went back.
15/15 my goal is to get my instrument rating this year!
Good advice…..we have had to return to our airport due to visibility issues but we do not fly in very messy conditions.
Thanks Jason and team. I am 15 of 15 here. Great video. I love your teaching. In the process of getting private pilot certificate.
This video is so so very important
15 for 15 from Hungary🇭🇺
Luckily I didn’t need to divert yet, but there was one lesson during my PPL training where I was supposed to go on a cross-country flight solo, but after taking off as I looked in the direction I planned to fly I realized that I won’t be able to make the trip due to fog settling in (despite the forecast saying it should be ok) so I immediately made the decision to stay in the traffic pattern and land back.
Good ADM, strictly speaking, going back to departure airport is still a diversion. It counts. Welcome to the club.
@@jimbiller9682 Thanks - fair enough, but what if my departure airport was my destination as well (without any landing inbetween)? 🤔😄
15/15 weather issues: it's often the fact that with weather related accidents, the weather the next day is good to go if only the pilot had made the no-go decision. No-one is that important that they have to be there - in some cases they never get there anyway except in a box.
15 for 15, I have turned around and landed to wait on weather, stay safe.
15/15!!!
I have diverted once. I was flying a Cessna 172 to a well known steak house for dinner. I had my wife as a passenger. The runway on the property was about 2 miles from the base of a 4000 foot mountain range, tall trees on short final and only '40 feet wide. I had landed here one other time without problem. On this occasion, I was able to fly a stable approach, but as I got to about 15 feet over the runway, there was a massive wind shift, or possibly a shear and I had to go around. Second approach, even though I was ready for the wind, I still couldn't keep the aircraft on centerline as the aircraft descended to about 15 feet, so I went around again. On the third try, the same thing happened again, so I departed straight out and flew the 1 hour back to home base with no steak dinner and instead ate Taco Bell that night. My theory is the winds were rolling in off of the mountains and as they were hitting those trees on short final, it was creating a tumbling effect which is what was causing the aircraft to want to go out of control. I am not ashamed to admit it, I was defeated and I ran out of talent. I'm just thankful I didn't lock in and try to force it. Maybe someone experienced in operating around mountain areas could shed light on what I was experiencing.
15 for15. Thanks Jason!
Can't imagine going flying with a foot that was just injured...JFK Junior should have taken up on the offer to have that CFI accompany him.
15 for 15. Excellent information as usual.
15/15- diverted several times in my short time of piloting- all weather related. As you stated- alive and here to tell you about it! Great content!
Sometimes the best part of xcountry flying is the unexpected. Spent a night in a less than stellar FBO when I brought my airplane home. Got to catch up on some emails, RUclips and even go through all the logs and owners manual while snacking on expired frozen burritos.
15/15. I really appreciate your humbling stories and examples to illustrate your points. You help us all become better pilots, thanks Jason!
15/15. What a great series!
15 for 15 and today's lesson will be on stalls, definitely keep this front of mind when doing HASELL's, should I go or should I no...
15/15, and yes I'm going for my IR!
50.14159% done! I can sense a diversion coming soon to me...
15-15. Thank you Jason and your team. You all are doing an outstanding job.
15 for 15, thanks Jason! A lot of great ideas put together here, I am considering an IFR rating soon though not this year.
15/15 catching up. Thanks!
I made it! 15 over 15. Thank you Jason for putting these outstanding videos together and hitting the nail on the head with every topic!
15/15 My cross country got deverted from Lansing to Pontiac via Detroit before I could get back on course. I know they forgot me but by the time I got back to Pontiac it was logged as a night flight.
Halfway through tomorrow we will be halfway.
15 for 15. I have really been enjoying the videos.
15. Working on my instrument rating right now.
15 for 15 Planning on additional IFR training after PP cert. Really enjoy the tidbits shared by my CFIs now, and the in-flight hood work. Listen on live atc during IFR days now. Haven’t diverted yet but will ask my CFI to inject such into my present Xcountry instruction. Thanks for that bug.
Great video 15 for 15 😊
15/15. Got my instrument rating. I fly VFR cause I fly for fun but damn good insurance policy
15-15 Jody Spann! Consistently immersed in the content of the private pilot boot camp for my upcoming knowledge exam and daily 31 day safer pilot challenge. Loving the new content Jason! Congrats to the whole team for stepping up the video presentation game.
15 of 15. Great info!
15 for 15. I actually have a divert for weather story. I earned my IFR in a 172 with glass cockpit (G-1000) avionics. I also rent a PA-32R-301 Saratoga which has steam gauge instrumentation plus Garmin G-430. I was flying my family from Destin. Florida (KDTS) back to our home airport in New Orleans (KNEW, Lakefront AIrport). There was some weather between DTS and NEW, I chose to go around it and stay VFR because I am not as familiar with the avionics in the Saratoga for IMC operations as I would have been with a G-1000. It took us an extra 50 minutes to get home, but safety is more important than time.
15 for 15 - well catching up!
15 for 15. ❤
I'm caught back up again... I also was watching that class Bravo video you mentioned just the other day it's good stuff! I want to get instrument rated as well as get my PPL but instrument rating may have to wait a while and I'll just have to divert in the event of a pop up or missed storm in my planning after I become a pilot. I'm so glad you're doing this series. I watch a lot of the AOPA analysis videos and it seems a lot of people get bitten by the get there bug.
15/15 🎉
15/15 catching up. Since I’m flying for fun, my goal went from owner an expensive aircraft and flying cross country to flying a lawn mower with wings, locally on nice days. We’re pretty much at a point that IFR ratings are for folks that want to do this for a living. At $210 per hour, rental plane and instructor, I’m out.
15/15 Thank you for all the informative videos. The graphics are well done and very helpful!
15/16 👍
Well, #15 is done. I'll share my latest, but it was not really weather related, it was a controlled burn in our path of flight. Flying with my BIL (his first time in a small plane), turning south-south-west to skirt the KJAX Charlie airspace and come in on the west side of KVQQ (Cecil) before we headed back to KHEG (Herlong), my home airport. As we got a little closer, I saw a pretty large, controlled burn (we were at 4500'), but the smoke was definitely going west, right into our path. Decided to 'divert' a tad to the east, keeping my altitude but still staying clear of KJAX and made a kind of dog-legged approach around and south of it. Worked out perfectly and my passenger got to see I10, and Ocean Pond (near Lake City) as originally planned.
15/15 Great comparisons of weather intel!
On day 15 and getting closer to catching up.
It’s like a go around, don’t force yourself into a bad position.
15 for 15. Goal #1, get my PPL. Shortly thereafter IFR.
15/15 liking the info......thanks