For Real Life Fighter Jocks

[UncleVanya2004]

Does weather phenomena affect fighters (say a fully-loaded 40,000 lb F-16) the same as GA aircraft? Do you have to avoid things like thunderstorms? Or can you just punch through it like a pencil going: "Mach 2! Woo HOO! Too fast for LIGHTNING!" I'm supposing turubulance isn't much of an issue on an airframe that can withstand more than 9 g's, but my only experience is flying Cessna 172's (Flew a 152 a few times but it felt too much like an old 61 VW bug I used to own, and had about the same horsepower, ha ha) so I'm sorta curious. Do you have to crab or side-slip in crosswind landings?

Thanks...

[UncleVanya2004]

Does weather phenomena affect fighters (say a fully-loaded 40,000 lb F-16) the same as GA aircraft? Do you have to avoid things like thunderstorms? Or can you just punch through it like a pencil going: "Mach 2! Woo HOO! Too fast for LIGHTNING!" I'm supposing turubulance isn't much of an issue on an airframe that can withstand more than 9 g's, but my only experience is flying Cessna 172's (Flew a 152 a few times but it felt too much like an old 61 VW bug I used to own, and had about the same horsepower, ha ha) so I'm sorta curious. Do you have to crab or side-slip in crosswind landings?

Thanks...

[calvinb1wso]

I can't speak to performance of a fighter in weather but by Air Force regulation, Air Force aircraft are required to avoid flying through thunderstorms. The regulation states that you have to avoid a thunderstorm by 10 miles below 23,000' MSL or 20 miles above that.

Turbulence doesn't affect my jet much, the B-1. Of course, it's a heavy aircraft and what would be moderate turbulence would be very severe to a Cessna. I did hit some really bad mountain wave turbulence in Alaska once and the jet felt like a boat going over some rough waves.

Another weather limitation that you might not think about but that is a big player, is USAF ejection seat-equipped aircraft usually don't fly low level in areas where the surface winds are over 35 kts because you would get drug pretty badly by the chute if you punched out.

PBAR

[UncleVanya2004]

Thanks Calvin!

[bad_karma_2one]

One thing that can cause damage at high speed is rain, its not usually thought about, but if you fly through rain at very high speed M1.0+, it can cause pitting damage to the skin of a plane, afterwards the nose may look like it has very small dents

[Conan_249th]

Official Air Force policy states that there is NO peacetime mission which requires penetrating a thunderstorm. Even in wartime there is almost no circumstance that would require a thunderstorm penetration.

The faster you go the worse turbulence becomes. Weapons stores don't like it at all and it is usually desirable to release the weapon on target rather than giving it up to mother nature, so turbulence is avoided wherever possible along with those nasty cumulo bumpus.

BTW, the faster you go through rain and cloud, the more likely tou are to self generate a lightning strike, or more accurately, a sever static discharge event. Moisture flowing over the nose and other leading edges creates plasma. I have seen it at night like a dim cone at the nose of the aircraft and it is VERY disconcerting. If enough of a charge develops it may overwhelm the aircrafts ability to shed static through the discharge wicks. BLAMMO! It happened to a good friend of mine who was known as "Sparky" from then on!

Whether to land in a crabbed or in a wing low condition varies by aircraft and from pilot to pilot. F-16 will skitter onto the runway either way but beware of dragging the speed brake on the pavement (DOH!). A-10 doesn't care until higher wind speeds where wingtip contact is a problem if wing low and most guys crab. F-117 HAD to be crabbed due to danger of wingtips contacting the runway surface.

249th_Conan
RSO
Starshiy Leitenant

"There is no problem which cannot be solved by the proper application of high explosive."

[Coolie-14]

I'd like to see ANY aircraft that could laugh in the face of a good thunderhead...
those guys that fly through storms to get accurate readings are NUTS!