Just like landing, it’s a skill to be learned and practiced. Knowing how radar “sees” rain and how to overcome its limitations can help.

By Paul Simison

One of the most misunderstood pieces of equipment in the modern cockpit is airborne weather radar. For most of us, it’s a luxury we can’t afford: either sferic devices (Stormscope/Strikefinder) and/or datalinked Nexrad images serve as a pilot’s third-best tool for avoiding thunderstorms. We say "third-best" because the best thing ever used for this purpose remains the Mk. I, Mod. I human eyeball. The trick, of course, is the eyeball only can be used in visual conditions. By happy coincidence, that’s the best place to be when contemplating flight in an area of thunderstorms. …