Flight Training - June 2011 - 38

WEATHER

By Jack Williams
DISCOVERY HAS traveled almost 143 million miles, equal to 288 round trips to the moon.

EVEN ASTRONAUTS GIVE RESPECT

SPACE PILOTS CAN’T ESCAPE THE WEATHER

nly eight and a half minutes after the Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off from the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on February 24, 2011, it was in space traveling faster than 17,500 miles per hour, 65 miles above the Atlantic Ocean— a good 45 miles above 99 percent of the atmosphere and thus the weather.

O

THE WEATHER PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN SHUTTLE LAUNCHES AND LANDINGS.

The shuttle’s commander was Steve Lindsey, an Air Force test pilot with more than 6,500 hours in 50 different types of aircraft, and 1,203 hours in space as either pilot or commander of five shuttle flights. Eric Boe, in the right seat as pilot, is also an Air Force test pilot with 4,000 hours in more than 45 different aircraft, and 380 hours in space as pilot of one shuttle flight.

With two such experienced pilots at the controls of the ultimate flying machine, you might think weather would be the least of their concerns. You’d be wrong. The weather plays a huge role in shuttle launches and landings, and has been one of the major reasons for launch and landing delays. In fact, the ceiling and visibility constraints for a shuttle launch and landing are stricter than those

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASA

38 /

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Flight Training - June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - June 2011

Flight Training - June 2011
Contents
President’s Perspective
Right Seat
Letters
The Case for Flying High
This Weekend
Success Story What It Looks Like
News Tech Tip
AOPA Action
Since You Asked
News
Final Exam
Training Products ASI News
Member Products
AOPA Action
Insights
Flying Carpet
Kiss the Runway
Lessons Learned
Technique
Weather
Accident Report
Flight Lesson
Do They Drive Like This?
Career Advisor
Tech Talk
Think Before You Speak
Reasonable Expectations
Advertiser Index
Down to Earth
Debrief
Flight Training - June 2011 - Flight Training - June 2011
Flight Training - June 2011 - Cover2
Flight Training - June 2011 - Contents
Flight Training - June 2011 - 2
Flight Training - June 2011 - 3
Flight Training - June 2011 - President’s Perspective
Flight Training - June 2011 - 5
Flight Training - June 2011 - Right Seat
Flight Training - June 2011 - 7
Flight Training - June 2011 - Letters
Flight Training - June 2011 - 9
Flight Training - June 2011 - The Case for Flying High
Flight Training - June 2011 - 11
Flight Training - June 2011 - This Weekend
Flight Training - June 2011 - Success Story What It Looks Like
Flight Training - June 2011 - News Tech Tip
Flight Training - June 2011 - AOPA Action
Flight Training - June 2011 - Since You Asked
Flight Training - June 2011 - 17
Flight Training - June 2011 - News
Flight Training - June 2011 - Final Exam
Flight Training - June 2011 - Training Products ASI News
Flight Training - June 2011 - Member Products
Flight Training - June 2011 - AOPA Action
Flight Training - June 2011 - Insights
Flight Training - June 2011 - Flying Carpet
Flight Training - June 2011 - 25
Flight Training - June 2011 - Kiss the Runway
Flight Training - June 2011 - 27
Flight Training - June 2011 - 28
Flight Training - June 2011 - 29
Flight Training - June 2011 - 30
Flight Training - June 2011 - 31
Flight Training - June 2011 - Lessons Learned
Flight Training - June 2011 - 33
Flight Training - June 2011 - 34
Flight Training - June 2011 - 35
Flight Training - June 2011 - Technique
Flight Training - June 2011 - 37
Flight Training - June 2011 - 38
Flight Training - June 2011 - 39
Flight Training - June 2011 - Weather
Flight Training - June 2011 - 41
Flight Training - June 2011 - Accident Report
Flight Training - June 2011 - 43
Flight Training - June 2011 - Flight Lesson
Flight Training - June 2011 - Do They Drive Like This?
Flight Training - June 2011 - Career Advisor
Flight Training - June 2011 - 47
Flight Training - June 2011 - Tech Talk
Flight Training - June 2011 - Think Before You Speak
Flight Training - June 2011 - Reasonable Expectations
Flight Training - June 2011 - 51
Flight Training - June 2011 - Down to Earth
Flight Training - June 2011 - 53
Flight Training - June 2011 - 54
Flight Training - June 2011 - 55
Flight Training - June 2011 - Debrief
Flight Training - June 2011 - Cover3
Flight Training - June 2011 - Cover4
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