Can an Airplane Climb in a Thunderstorm Downdraft
This is a rate of climb problem for a majority of private planes, especially our antique aircraft with minimal engine power.
In a prior post I related my personal experience inside a building thunderstorm before rain reached levels where hail formation began in ernest. Downdrafts were absent, at the time of entry, for me.
Atlanta Center confirmed what I penetrated increased to the category of a Super Cell within 30 minutes after I escaped from the Cell. The velocity of the updrafts and downdrafts inside thunderstorms vary on the conditions at the time of development. 40 ft/sec to 60 ft/sec are frequently mentioned as a range.
Moisture content, terrain, freezing level, cold and warm fronts, obstacles and wind come to my mind. These combinations may, when everything is right, produce mayhem in the skies.
Roll clouds in front of a developed, large thunderstorm can push your airplane into the ground if you are foolish enough to attempt to fly under the storm. The downdrafts can overcome the planes ability to climb. If you enter the roll cloud at cruising speed structural damage can happen. Large hail, if present, is a hazard.
The false information that you can fly below a thunderstorm if you can't fly around it, in safety, is insane advice. You can't predict the condition of a thunderstorm.
Advice: Do a 180, if you can safely, and fly out of the path of danger. This is a great time for "You to Land and Enjoy a Cup of Joe!" until the problem dissipates or moves out of your intended flight path.
