Flying Through Snow | Snowy Conditions | PilotWorkshops (2024)

FAQs

Is it safe to fly through snow? ›

As we've discussed above, snow, ice, and bad weather do not hinder a flight. It remains safe to fly as long as precautious and pilot training are both up to date.

Icing is of the clear ice type. Snow and Ice Crystals colder than -20°C do not adhere to cold aircraft and do not usually constitute an icing problem. However, if the aircraft is warm, the snow may melt as it strikes the warm surface and ice accretion may result.

When fully prepared, winter flying is quite safe and pleasurable for both pilots and passengers. However, flying in very cold weather becomes dangerous when you are not aware of your surroundings (meteorologically and geographically) and you do not have ample contingency plans established.

Some weather considerations are ice fog, blowing snow, flat light and white out conditions which can prove extremely dangerous especially for VFR operations. Overflow conditions, where water seeps above the ice but under the snow, can cause your airplane to become stuck possibly until Spring J .

If it is so cold that the rain turns into hail or snow, a flight could be delayed or canceled. Additionally, if heavy rain causes flooding or significant disruptions at the airport, operations may be significantly impacted, leading to cancellations.

However, there's no direct correlation between winter weather and increased turbulence – in fact, each season presents its own challenges. Winter sees more blizzards and higher winds but spring has more fast-moving fronts, while summer and autumn have a tendency towards tropical storms.

Generally, rain and snow do not affect commercial aviation, especially with jet aircraft. Lightening or the risk of it imperils ground staff, so staffed ramp operations are typically suspended when lightening is observed near an airfield.

When a plane flies through a supercooled cloud the disturbance causes droplets to collect on the airplane, and since the water droplets are already supercooled they solidify into ice almost instantly. While flying through a large cloud of supercooled water droplets, an airplane can experience considerable ice buildup.

You can't fly your Cessna Skyhawk into known icing conditions.

Most Dangerous Weather Hazards in Aviation

Thunderstorms: As we mentioned previously, thunderstorms are dangerous to fly through due to the potential for strong updrafts and downdrafts. If there's severe weather around an airport, most planes wait to take off until the threat has passed.

Do flights get cancelled because it's too cold? ›

"Only low temperatures will not normally affect flights, planes fly in much colder temperatures at 30-35,000 ft.. Ice and snow are much more likely to cancel flights than just cold temperatures."

Cold temperatures, below -20 C, induce ice crystal formation reducing visibility further. Cold air increases aircraft wing lift and in landing can lead to overshoot or overrun. Inversion can be accompanied with change in wind direction and speed.

While it may seem hazardous on the ground, it is not uncommon for airplanes to fly in snow. This is because planes usually fly above snowfall, which makes it a non-factor for pilots and flight dispatchers. However, this is only true for commercial flights because they fly higher than smaller recreational aircraft.

In the highly regulated airline world the rule is simple: An aircraft can depart only when it's 'clean' – no snow, frost, or ice on any part of the aircraft. GA pilots should use the same winter operations principle.

Summary. Flying in the snow mighti require a hydraulic warmup to ensure proper functioning of the aircraft. Deicing is done to remove ice or precipitation from the aircraft surfaces before takeoff. Taxiing on snow days is more complex due to limited visibility, requiring special procedures and systems at airports.

Slow down.

Snow and ice make stopping distances much longer, so keep your seat belt buckled and leave more distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. Bridge decks and shady spots can be icy when other areas are not. Remember to avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes.

Chemicals are used to melt ice

Once the runway is clear of snow, special rigged trucks with 82-foot booms spread chemicals on the runway to melt ice. The most commonly used products for this purpose are: Sodium Formate. Ethylene/Propylene Glycol-based fluids.

If adverse weather conditions exceed the safety limits defined by these protocols, flights are often delayed until conditions improve. For instance, if the visibility drops below a certain threshold due to heavy fog, the airline may delay the flight until the fog dissipates.

(c) Except for an airplane that has ice protection provisions that meet the requirements in section 34 of Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 23, or those for transport category airplane type certification, no pilot may fly an airplane into known or forecast severe icing conditions.