Stay Out of the Clouds

Way back in '82 on one of my first couple of solo flights out of KADS I had turned to a northerly heading and was entering what was then the practice area north of Lake Lewisville. It was a beautiful day with some big puffy cotton-like clouds--perfect for flying. I saw one huge cloud well above me at about ten o'clock and was thinking "Boy, I'd love to be popping into that cloud about now!" but also recalling my flight instructor's consistent and firm advice that, until I got my instrument ticket, to consider that "All clouds are made of steel!" Just microseconds after thinking now wonderful it would be to pop into that cloud, an American DC-10 popped out of it! The cloud was just the perfect size to hide that beast of an aircraft, and the timing could not have been more perfect! It was as though the DC-10 was hiding, waiting for the thoughts of cloud-popping to enter my head before it popped out at me! YEOW! What a magic moment for me! Of course I was well below the cloud and well within the regs, but it was a true divine message. Within seconds I realized that DFW Approach and the DC-10 were talking about me when I heard the AA flight crew report me as being well below and no factor... I'll never forget that incident, and it's the reason I send my flight instructor a Christmas card every year to thank him for his skills and his time.

I seem to recall an old quote that said something along the lines of "Stay away from clouds. That silver lining just might be a 747 heading the opposite direction"

Remember a few years back, the pilot who appeared to believe his self taught ( Microsoft Flight Sim) IFR training was sufficient enough he filed IFR but ended up in actual IMC near (I believe) PNS and crashed. These type of pilots have no place in the system. When things go bad and they will, an ignorant media will use it to spin up an equally ignorant public on the evils/ danger GA poses and why more regulation is needed.

Believe it or not, this type of situation is not un-common. I hear private pilots talking about flying in IMC and scud running all the time. I actually had someone tell me a story of them picking up ice to the point where his deicing fluid was not keeping up. I told him he was an idiot and I left.

The IFR and VFR training should be a combined program. All students should have and maintain total mastering of the aircraft they fly. Not all weather flying but total mastering.

I agree. As a private pilot myself why not include another 20-30hrs of training and get both ifr,vfr ratings. It would give those needing more hours to get them and those that don't need hours but want the other rating can do it now.

My instructor used to invent sudden "emergencies" to teach me how to react. After just a couple of hours of training, he suddenly said "We're surrounded by clouds, do a 180!" (I found out later that he always cleared the area visually before announcing a change in course or altitude.) So I started turning. Then he said, "Use the gauges -- no looking outside." We hadn't done any hood work at that point, so it was difficult to keep my eyes on the gauges. Eventually I completed a pretty ragged 180. When we landed, he explained that the purpose of the exercise was to prepare me for the situation discussed in the article. It led into the discussion of VFR regulations, which I was studying in ground school. Later, I had a few hours of actual work under the hood to teach basic IFR techniques, so I became more proficient at it. But that first entrance into "clouds" was certainly memorable for me.

The sudden 180 wasn't his only trick. Like other instructors (I hope), he would suddenly pull the throttle back to idle and say "We're out of fuel [or the propeller fell off, or some other dire situation]. Where are you going to land?" Of course, I caught onto his trick and always had an emergency field selected when we flew. Long after my training with him was done, I found myself always looking for an emergency field. Of course, that is exactly what he wanted to teach me.

Thanks to all flight instructors, especially the really diligent ones. The attitude you take toward aviation is almost always reflected in your students.

That man is an ID-10-T by any and all standards.

JUST TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT FLOW. how about private pilots, flying in a controlled airspace WITHOUT A TRANSPONDER/TCAS. maybe the same pilot who likes trying to push clouds out of the way.

Many years ago, as a student pilot, my first xcountry was Teterboro to Allentown. I planned everything and knew the proper heading and distance. A nice layer of scattered clouds and I was through one the many large holes and on top. Wow, this was amazing !! When I reached the correct ETE, I descended through one of the holes, but there was no airport in sight. I looked and looked, and tried pilotage, which I thought I was doing from on top, but no way.
Confessing to ATC, a few triangles at 8000 feet, and they had me spotted ( I do not recall why I couldn't just Ident) . I was about 35 miles off course,,, the wind changed !!!! I forgot to keep checking that because I expected to use pilotage all the way ( I did not have the VOR down yet,,, all pilotage) .
ATC was so understanding and helpful, and another pilot, in a " twin.. wow " was vectored to me and led me right to Allentown. Of course, I felt great love for ATC and the other pilot, and great respect for continuing to learn. Four decades later, and I am still learning, and I have 2 GPS units when I fly, but no matter,, if they go out, I am still prepared with SA backup,,, and a healthy background in pilotage.
Nice article to get everyone thinking !

He isn't entitled to, hasn't earned the right to, isn't qualified to fly in the clouds! Period. Stay VFR or turn in your private pilot certificate. If you want to fly in the "clouds"......do the work.

This person has no Flight Discipline and License revoked.