Question

The destination airport has one runway, 8-26, and the wind is calm. The normal approach in calm wind is a left-hand pattern to runway 8. There is no other traffic at the airport. A thunderstorm about 6 miles west is beginning its mature stage, and rain is starting to reach the ground. The pilot decides to

a) depart expecting the thunderstorm to dissipate prior to arrival, then land on runway 8
b) delay departure until the thunderstorm has dissipated
c) fly an approach to runway 26 since any unexpected wind due to the storm will be westerly

Answer 1

The pilot can choose to depart or delay departure depending on the thunderstorm's behavior and associated risks.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, the destination airport has one runway, 8-26, and the wind is calm.

The normal approach in calm wind is a left-hand pattern to runway 8.

Since there is no other traffic at the airport and the wind is calm, the pilot can choose either option to land:

1. Depart expecting the thunderstorm to dissipate prior to arrival, then land on runway 8.
2. Delay departure until the thunderstorm has dissipated.
3. Fly an approach to runway 26 since any unexpected wind due to the storm will likely be westerly.

The pilot's decision will depend on their assessment of the thunderstorm's behavior and the associated risks.