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Delta Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Denver After Hail Damages Aircraft
Delta Airlines passengers had the scare of their lives Friday night when a flight from Boston to Salt Lake City encountered bad weather over eastern Colorado, with hail that caused significant damage to the aircraft's nose and windshield. (www.weather.com) More...
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The only detail you really have to know is when you skirt or penetrate CB's on a regular basis you are gonna get hit. And you will never have a clue which one it will be till the noise starts.
Incredible pictures of the aircraft in this story...
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/08/08/delta-flight-from-boston-damaged-in-hail-storm/
Appears they flew into the hail storm... wouldn't they be able to avoid that on a cross-country flight at crusing altitude?
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/08/08/delta-flight-from-boston-damaged-in-hail-storm/
Appears they flew into the hail storm... wouldn't they be able to avoid that on a cross-country flight at crusing altitude?
Most airliners max out in the high 30's to low 40's. Tops of severe storms can get up to 70,000 ft.
Was referring to the ability to fly around weather, not necessarily above it. Other comments have pointed out that hail and rain are indistinguishable on airborne weather radar. I know that ground-based wx radar will indicate hail, but I assume it uses Doppler and other data that airborne cannot. It seems a rare event, and I'd prefer to never experience something like this.
As the skies become more crowded, I assume there is less flexibility in routes such that there will be times a pilot cannot or will not fly around storms. I cannot recall ever encountering rain at 30k, but moving at those speeds it may not even be apparent. Flying into hail must be a bit like bombers flying into flak in WW2. Scary stuff...
As the skies become more crowded, I assume there is less flexibility in routes such that there will be times a pilot cannot or will not fly around storms. I cannot recall ever encountering rain at 30k, but moving at those speeds it may not even be apparent. Flying into hail must be a bit like bombers flying into flak in WW2. Scary stuff...
Unfortunately radar doesn't see hail, which is why we fly around the weather. Lucky for the crew they were able to land without further incident. FAA needs to red-tag it until further inspection clears it.
Actually, I beg to differ. Airborn weather radar does paint hail, but will not differentiate the return from rain and does not show at as high a Db. level. Ergo significant hail may show up as lighter rain, however in most significant hail events the rain is usually painting at a Db. level that the prudent aviator will avoid. Stay outta the cells add away from the anvils and you are very unlikely to hear that sound that is just like somebody throwing marbles and hitting your car at 70 mph.
Few details in article...DL 1889. A 320. Second Delta aircraft in past month damaged by hail, the other being the 747 over the Eastern Pacific.