Had to Test Irma

[scianoir 610]

I'm sure you're right about the layers setting contributing to the appearance of the wall and I might try retesting the scenario with maximum layers selected in AS16 and see if the eyewall looks more like a wall.

With regard to turbulence, I have mine set above the default level in AS16 and there was certainly a lot while flying within the hurricane approaching the eye wall which you would expect, but updrafts and downdrafts were also very well simulated. In addition there were occasional quite severe fluctuations in airspeed which I think may have represented a windsheer effect when flying near embedded thunderstorms. After entering the eye the turbulence dropped off but I can't say I experienced any sudden jolt effect going from the wall into the eye.

Bill

[scianoir 610]

12 hours ago, glider1 said:

Thanks! I guess bumping up the number of cloud layers could help the effect in the eye except for performance. But if the eye is over a non-populated area without much scenery, max cloud layers might be interesting to try.

 

Just a follow-up. I maxed out the cloud layers in AS16 and flew Irma again. On this occasion I had great difficulty identifying that I was within the eye despite the fact that the X-gauge display indicated that I was. On one occasion I appeared to come through the eye wall into a zone of clear blue sky surrounded by clouds but that literally lasted 2 or 3 seconds and I was then back in cloud although according to the X-gauge display I should still have been in the eye. A total of about 5 or 6 other attempts to criss-cross the eye wall all failed to identify anything. The only difference this time was that the cloud layers were maxed out whereas previously they were limited to 5 and on my previous flights I had managed to identify the eye and fly across it every time. I can only conclude that having the cloud layers maxed out produces so much cloud that it practically obscures the eye itself - either that or the X-gauge was misbehaving and I wasn't flying into the eye at all!

Bill

[W2DR 1,860]

Play and pretend all you want guys. But I'm here to tell you there is no experience like having Irma's eye wall pass right over your house. Flightsim be damned. You haven't lived until you experience the real thing. I've been there twice now and I'm here to tell you that there is no way to simulate what happens in 100+mph winds..........Doug

[scianoir 610]

8 hours ago, W2DR said:

Play and pretend all you want guys. But I'm here to tell you there is no experience like having Irma's eye wall pass right over your house. Flightsim be damned. You haven't lived until you experience the real thing. I've been there twice now and I'm here to tell you that there is no way to simulate what happens in 100+mph winds..........Doug

Absolutely agree Doug but some of us enjoy the challenge of pretend flying in bad weather scenarios. Glad you got through Irma unscathed (I'm assuming you did as you are on here!) and hope your house did too. 

Been there once (Charley 2004) and don't want to do it again!!

Bill

[W2DR 1,860]

We're fine Bill. Thanks for thinking of us. The house is in tact also. A shingle here and there is missing and a few trees are a lot shorter. Two solar panels for the pool are probably in north Georgia by now and the panel for the solar hot water is out-of-commission. Nothing major. We were lucky to lose power for only 29 hours. Some folks nearby still don't have it back a week later. We "only" saw 10 inches of rain and there is only minor flooding here. You gotta love living the good life in the Florida sunshine ..........Doug