There are two reasons why I have written this article. Firstly, a reader who completed the fear of flying survey suggested it and secondly, a passenger boarder my aircraft a few weeks ago in torrential rain, and said to me;
Have you ever flown in rain like this before? Is it safe?
Never before had I thought that rain could cause fear amongst airline passengers. But, it does. The following information should help you to understand why it is nothing to be concerned about.
It appears that the main concern with regards to flying in rain is the take-off and landing on a wet runway.
It may look as though the runway is as flat as your average road, and therefore susceptible to surface water. As this possibility enters your mind, you find yourself instantly thinking the runway is slippery and unsafe. Thoughts of aquaplaning (no pun intended) aircraft and impending doom fill your mind.
What you can’t see is that runways are designed to ensure surface water drains off via a grooved surface, therefore improving grip during and take-off landing. Further to this, constant improvements in runway design ensure safety standards are increased year by year – it’s the just in case factor once again.
In poor weather conditions (rain, snow and/or ice) Air Traffic Control receives information from pilots regarding the braking action on the runway. Normally the runway is ‘split’ into three parts, and a pilot would report braking action for each individual part – i.e. poor, average, poor.
This information is then passed on to pilots on final approach to the runway to enable them to be better prepared for poor conditions.
It’s important to note that a ‘poor, poor, poor’ braking action report does not mean the runway is unsafe, but simply ensures pilots are prepared. This may simply mean that reverse thrust is used to aid braking and slow the aircraft down quicker.
Another important note: Just as always, if at any time the runway is deemed to be unsafe it WILL NOT BE USED.
With regards to flying through rain clouds, it is not a problem. In normal circumstances these clouds are not turbulent and feel no different to flying through a standard cloud. In more severe storms the clouds may cause a few bumps, but are by no means anything to worry about.
Finally, in case you were not aware, planes are equipped with wipers allowing pilots to still see where they are going. However, due to the speed at take-off, rain usually moves off the windscreen of its own accord – just like driving a car at 100mph forces the water to move upwards and to the side.
The following articles are related to the one you have just read
- Fear of Flying in Bad Weather: Fog Driving in thick fog can be extremely hazardous, and of course you must slow down to ensure you remain safe. But, how does fog affect...
- Fear of Flying in Bad Weather: Snow and Ice Snow and ice can cause havoc for an airline, and we all have our part to play in ensuring the safety of our passengers in...
- Fear of Flying in Bad Weather: Lightning Welcome to the first of this series of articles discussing a fear of flying in bad weather. First up, thunderstorms – and more specifically, lightning....
- Fear of Flying in Bad Weather: Wind Seems like a good time to write this as I’m sat in my house listening to gale force winds hammer the windows outside! Makes me...
- How Does Hot Weather Cause Turbulence? As the summer is pretty much upon us now, it is a good time to discuss a certain form of turbulence that will be common...
Thank you for allaying my fears. Today it is pouring with rain and will continue all day, my son is due to take off from Bristol airport and I was concerned about this. After reading your very informative words, I do not feel so concerned. Thank you very much.
Regards
Sandie Reed
Hi Sandie,
I’m glad I could help. You have nothing to be concerned about, and that’s a promise.
Thank you for this article, it definitely helps but I still have my issues where rain clouds are concerned. A couple of months ago I was 100% convinced that the plane I was on was about to plummet down and never be seen again. We were landing for some 10 minutes through the worst rain clouds I’ve experienced. There was non-stop turbulence, dark gray/blue clouds and many sudden lurches and flying tilted (I suppose the plane was turning for AGES). I have never been so terrified during a landing before. I can safely say I wasn’t the only one either. Even before the plane touched down, it was very unstable which is often not the case. Once landed I was tempted to ask if the pilots actually knew what they were doing or were just hoping that they would land in one piece. I know that’s a terrible thing to say but when you’re afraid of flying, you always suspect such things!
I guess what I’m asking is, how can landing during such conditions be safe? It feels like the plane is thrown around like a leaf. My mum is supposed to visit me in London for a few days during December and then we’re meant to fly back home together. I am terrified because the weather is always horrible during that month and I can’t cope with another such landing or takeoff.
Hi Maria,
Well, I have just returned from another day in the sky and landed in gale force winds and torrential rain. Was I in danger – no. But the question you asking is why. So here goes…
The most important fact to remember is, if the weather conditions are not safe to land in, then a pilot will not land. If at any time a pilot is not happy with the approach, then he will go-around and either divert to another airport, or approach again. There are many restrictions on weather conditions and they are always adhered to. Truth be told though, weather very rarely affects a landing apart from making it a little bumpy.
A go-around can happen at any time – even if the plane is just about to touch the runway. It is perfectly capable of climbing back up again, and pilots are always prepared to do this – especially so in bad weather.
Another important point: Even when you think you are being thrown all over the place, the aircraft is barely moving more than a few feet. I’ve just been watching other aircraft land in the weather I experienced, and you can barely see any movement at all – even though my landing was incredibly bumpy.
It feels as though you are moving around so much as a result of the aircraft moving a split second before you. As the aircraft is pushed a couple of inches in any direction, there is a tiny delay before you move in that same direction. This causes the sensation of ‘being thrown around like a leaf’. Does that make sense? I promise you, the plane is not moving anywhere as near as much as you think.
The most important point to remember though is the go-around. If at any time a pilot is not 100% happy with the landing conditions, he/she will climb back up. No pilot EVER risks compromising safety.
Hope that helps…..Let me know.
I found this site using google.com And i want to thank you for your work. You have done really very good site. Great work, great site! Thank you!
Sorry for offtopic
I’d like to thank you as well. I have a 16 hours flight ahead of me, but i feel a lot more comfertable about it after reading your article. Thanks