Flying through the tropics isn’t always blue skies and beaches It hasn’t included tornadoes and tropical cyclones like hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions, whose severity can destroy (figuratively and literally) the paradigm of safe flying that applies to more typical weather. Flying Through Tropical Disturbancesįor most of this article, the word “thunderstorm” has implied a storm over hand and in temperate regions of the world.

A thunderstorm is more likely to delay your take-off or landing than it is to cause turbulence at cruising altitude, or cause the aircraft difficult during its climb or descent. In fact, the most dangerous part of flying in severe weather is attempting to take-off or land, which presents the same sorts of hazards as in rain, snow or other weather that seems less dramatic. Taking off during a storm is more dangerous than simply flying through it The bad news? Other things about flying through thunderstorms can be hazardous, though these are also generally insufficient to bring a modern aircraft down. The good news? Every airplane struck by lightning is thoroughly inspected afterwards. Can planes fly in thunderstorms? Well, they can certainly fly after having been struck by lightning. That’s because, among other reasons, today’s airplanes are designed such as the places where lightning tends to strike (tails and wingtips) are fortified, and evenly distribute charge from a lightning strike. Most commercial aircraft have been struck by lightning at some point In fact, every plane you fly has likely been struck by lightning at least once during its lifetime, though lightning won’t bring a modern airplane down.

Namely, the idea that lightning will strike the airplane and cause it to break apart. One major fear people have when it comes to flying in thunderstorms stems from lightning strikes. The Truth About Lightning Strikes and Airplanes

In fact, modern aircraft experience lightning strikes with relatively high frequency! Continue reading to learn the facts and fiction about planes flying in thunderstorms. Perhaps surprisingly, thunderstorms rarely impede the on-time arrival of schedule flights.

Flying High by Stormy Glenn