In this ever more connected world, where we all carry a computer in our pocket, it is easy to become reliant on technology for our flying. It is worth pondering how our flying might differ, or potentially improve, if we decided to fly unplugged for a change.
While it is still wise to have a general sense of the forecast it is important to develop and continuously refine our nowcasting skills. This involves being highly attuned to how the atmosphere is evolving at multiple scales in real time. Understanding and correctly predicting the trajectory of these changes helps us decide if our piloting skills are on par with what we are experiencing. Put more simply, if you have reasonable intuition for how the air might behave in the next fifteen to twenty minutes, you can decide whether to continue to fly or if it is better to land while it is still relatively safe to do so.
If we shift our eyes away from our instrument screens and turn off the vario, we might be surprised by how well we can still fly. Essentially, we can now use the full bandwidth provided by our senses to take advantage of all the clues nature is presenting us.
On the ground
Probably the most consequential flight decision happens while we are still on...
