NOT A GOOD WEEK FOR NAVEX

Well, this week is the worst week for flying ever. Plus, we haven't finished our NavEx yet, and my PPL Test is scheduled on the 27th this month. Weather was poor during the whole week. Haze made it impossible to fly. Despite the rain, the haze just keep coming. According to Malaysia's Met Agency, the haze came from Indonesia's island of Sumatera and Riau.

Visibility sometime plummeted to 400 feet. This morning was very bad. I can only see the Firefly, Air Asia, and MAS coming in for landing only when they're abeam the threshold (actually it was a nice view). You imagine an airliner just suddenly pop in front of your eyes when they're only about 5o feet above the runway. Here are some pictures for you to get a rough idea of how the weather was like this morning!

The sun can barely shine.

Cannot even see Runway 28's threshold.

This kind of visibility shouldn't be a problem to them since they're equipped with ILS or Instrument Landing System which guides the pilot horizontally as well as vertically to the runway or should I say, to the exact center line of the runway.

ILS localizer.

ILS antennae and approach lighting system.

However, for us with small aircraft (which is not IFR rated or Instrument Flight Rules rated) are not allowed to fly in such conditions since the condition requires instrument flying, whereas we only fly VFR or Visual Flight Rules. Such poor weather conditions are refered to as Instrument Meteorological Conditions or IMC. For pilots which are not IFR rated or who flies aircraft which are not IFR rated, we are only allowed to fly in good weather conditions or refered to as Visual Meteorological Conditions or VMC.

Hotspots in Indonesia causing the haze.

Well, now you get the idea how hard it is to fly. Most likely the haze will be staying for quite some time. A week of frustration is a normal thing...