"Martin Rowley" wrote

... how much training is provided for these events Jack? Are modern
simulators equipped to provide the right conditions at each (simulator)
airport to allow new pilots to get used to them before going 'live'?

Remember that I retired as a professional over six years ago (but was in the
air in a glider only yesterday) so things may have changed since I packed it
up.

Certainly we had simulator training for microbursts, but that was about as
far as it went apart form the ability to simulate general turbulence.

As for rotor, reversed winds, etc, that tended to be "on the job" experience
with a training captain. For many years, I was a training captain myself,
so with my particular interest in meteorological effects (not shared, I
should add, by all training captains - mind you unlike some trainers,
paperwork was never my forte), I would always try to explain and if
possible, demonstrate when appropriate by flying the approach myself.

I remember one landing at Teesside (it might have been Newcastle - can't
remember, but the wave effects are similar at both places) in strong lee
wave conditions. I was able to read the sky (if you like, gliding hat on at
this point) and give a running commentary as we went through the up and down
parts of the wave system:
"OK, anticipate the downcurrent now, so start feeding in the power" and
then:
"about to hit the up so be ready to throttle back".
It worked out a treat on this occasion, but I would not expect the ordinary
pilot to read the sky in that manner. Indeed, incorrect reading could make
things worse. But the point of my exercise was to illustrate that in these
"weird" conditions, you must be ready to apply quite considerable power
changes to keep on the right glide slope (even if you don't actually
understand what the sky is telling you). New pilots spend many years as
co-pilots - apprenticeships if you like - so they have vast experience
before being let loose in charge.

Back to the gliding aspect of flying in lee waves, two of my friends are
planning flights of 1,000 kilometres. They have both done 750 km flights in
Scottish wave, but there is a bit of a problem with the size of the landmass
to be able to go much further. I am slightly involved in their efforts with
advice on best airmasses, "hot spots" for wave and some ideas are beginning
to emerge. One option being seriously considered is fly into and out of
Ireland. (A qualifying flight must have no more than four legs). One pilot
has Shetland in mind for final landing!

For George Booth's info and interest, the pilots are Jack Stephen from
Aboyne and John Williams, Portmoak.

Jack