The Need, Meaning and Usefulness of Meteorological Observations for Aviation

Moderator Kraght summarized the progress of commercial aviation in the past 33 years. Weather problems continue to plague the airlines, although different weather parameters now cause the greatest difficulties. Aircraft icing is not the serious problem to jet transports that it is to propeller craft. Fog and ceilings below landing minima are among the more serious problems. To a degree, we have become inde­pendent of the low clouds and fog down to a certain limit by using the navigational facilities that have been provided. Thunderstorms and associated turbulence in the terminal area as well as enroute continue to be hazardous to safe flight, although encounters with severe turbulence occur on only a few per cent of all flights.