Page 2-14
Pilot’s Operating Manual
Revision A2: Nov, 2004
Sub-section 2
ABNORMAL HANDLING
Hawker 800XP Pro Line 21
Section V - FLIGHT HANDLING
OPERATION IN WINDSHEAR AND MICROBURST CONDITIONS
CONVECTIVE WEATHER
This term is taken to mean highly active areas of weather energy such as thunderstorms, rainstorms,
virga, extreme turbulence, or tornadoes due to local heating/cooling effects.
MICROBURST
This term is taken to mean a concentrated, more-powerful form of downdraught, which may occur
anywhere convective weather conditions exist.
Microburst can take the form of:
• Symmetric Microburst
• Asymmetric Microburst
• Dry Microburst
Refer to Figures 4, 5 and 6.
WINDSHEAR
This term is taken to mean severe windshear, throughout this part, where airspeed changes exceed
15 knots or vertical speed changes exceed 500 feet per minute.
Windshear has long been recognized as a potentially serious hazard to airplanes during landing and
takeoff, but may also be experienced in thunderstorm areas, when penetrating weather fronts, low level
jet streams, mountain waves and thermals. Other causes include terrain irregularities and man-made
obstructions such as buildings or towers close to the runway.
A windshear encounter is a highly dynamic event.
To think of windshear as an aggravated form of wind gradient is unwise. It can strike suddenly and with
serious effect which in certain circumstances can be catastrophic and may not be successfully escaped
with any known techniques, even by the most experienced pilots flying modern and powerful airplanes.
Statistics indicate that two out of every three windshear accidents or incidents are related to convective
weather conditions, mainly thunderstorms and in particular the most hazardous form of windshear, the
microburst.
WARNING: THE FIRST AND MOST VITAL DEFENSE AGAINST WINDSHEAR IS AVOIDANCE.
IF THE PRESENCE OF WINDSHEAR IS KNOWN OR SUSPECTED,
DO NOT TAKEOFF OR MAKE AN APPROACH TO LAND.
