On Mar 31, 10:23 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:

Now, we know. It's that easy.

Every once in a while you say something that makes me think, "Ok, this
guy might get it."

And then this...

Weather? Easy?

If you think XM is gonna save your ass as a VFR only pilot, please do
us all a favor and get your IFR and file so we look you up on
FlightAware and thereby know what airspace to avoid.

That you think XM absolves you of the hard work of comprehending the
weather and being able to predict it's effect on your flight is
downright scary. I have and use a 496 -- please tell me which function
you use to ensure you maintain VFR conditions?

There is none.

Think I'm being ridiculous?

Consider this Accident report excerpt from the Air Safety Foundation
(maybe you've heard of it?) TAA Special Report:

September 15, 2006; Cirrus SR20;
Maybell, Colorado; Likely cause: Inadequate preflight planning.

History of Flight
The private/instrument pilot and one passenger were enroute from
Tooele, Utah, to Lincoln, Nebraska. The pilot contacted air traffic
control and stated he needed a lower altitude, as he was encountering
icing conditions. Several altitude changes were assigned. Ultimately
the pilot was assigned a block altitude from 12,000 feet to 13,000
feet. The pilot reported serious icing conditions and the controller
cleared the pilot to an altitude of 11,000 feet. Shortly thereafter,
voice and radar communications with the airplane were lost.

The wreckage was located scattered over a 1.5 mile area between
Colorado and Wyoming. Evidence was consistent with a ground impact
deployment of the Cirrus's parachute recovery system, resulting in the
airplane being dragged by high winds. Examination of the airplane's
systems revealed no anomalies. Thunderstorm activity existed along
the route of flight along with severe icing and turbulence. The pilot
had not obtained a full weather briefing prior to the flight.

ASF Comments
Inadequate flight planning has long been a contributing factor in
weather-related accidents. It is possible that this pilot believed he
could rely on the onboard datalink capabilities of his advanced glass
cockpit to provide the weather information needed to safely complete
the flight.

MFDs have the ability to display a variety of weather products. Since
icing is one of the most difficult hazardous conditions to report and
forecast, this pilot may not have recognized that he was entering an
area with conditions favorable to the formation of airframe icing
until it was too late. Once the pilot lost control of the iced-up
plane, the whole airplane parachute system could have been used to
make a safe descent. It was not. The chute deployed due to impact
forces, and high surface winds dragged the aircraft on the ground for
more than 1.5 miles.


Dan Mc