Plain English Meaning

Times when a pilot runs into bad or surprising weather while flying and has to make decisions about what to do next.

Full Definition

Situations in which a pilot meets adverse or unexpected weather conditions while airborne, requiring real-time judgment, recognition, and decision-making to maintain safe flight. In instructional contexts, this phrase refers to a category of risk and a teaching topic centered on how pilots assess deteriorating conditions, decide whether to continue, divert, or turn back, and avoid hazards such as low ceilings, icing, , or reduced .