The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released Thunderstorm Challenge, its first video-formatted course in a new Weather or Not safety course series, sponsored by SiriusXM Aviation.
The new course challenges you to fly a scenario and make decisions along the way to continue the flight or divert when faced with threatening weather. Choices lead the user down a flight path and subsequently to an outcome that’s based on their decisions.
Their choices can end well or not so well, AOPA officials note.
At each outcome, users are provided explanations based on their thought process while being given advice on how to make the best and safest choice. They are also offered the option to try other flight paths to experience the results of different decisions.
The scenario is accompanied by a short chapter on thunderstorm avoidance strategies, resources, and a 10-question quiz.
“This is a way to put pilots in real-life scenarios to test their decision-making skills,” said AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Director Paul Deres. “We want pilots to understand the consequences of their decisions, so they are prepared to come to the appropriate conclusion when faced with difficult weather decisions before or during a real flight. We look forward to guiding them through the process by offering this course.”