Yes CBX7, had to look it up, never heard of it. 4000ft I hope you were light.

Very - enough fuel plus reserve to hop to Prince George and gas up.

Plane performed per the book.

Neato! You in the right seat?

I recently started flying the 441. Makes me feel like I am flying a Citation.

Neato! You in the right seat?

I recently started flying the 441. Makes me feel like I am flying a Citation.

Pretty rough today Indy. Departed KUMP (Indy Metro). As I was turned North a vector was provided to go between two cells. Probably 15 miles apart. Looked good on radar. I was IMC until I broke out around 13,000. There was a band of green rain showers on the radar in front of me. The same showers contoured to red further east. Looked up at the clouds that were creating this precipitation and decided to turn west to give me a little more room. I decided to fly through a tcu that was topping out around 18k. About 3 miles in diameter. All hell broke loose as soon as I entered. Every thing not tied down was flying around the cabin. I was fully strapped in but my chin nearly hit my knee. My pax banged her head in the aft seat due to a non snugged belt. 5 lb POH and other such docs became projectiles inside the cabin.

30 seconds later it was smooth.

Wonder what it would have been like if I hadn’t avoided the 40ker in front of me?

This picture is about an hour old. It wasn’t quite as bad when it was North of Metro. Wider gap too.

Down here (Florida) most of us don’t go near any tcu or cu. rain or no rain.Not long ago there was a trail of us heading south and ATC put us , including regional iron going to KGNV, thru a gap 5 miles wide with a ceiling at about 2400’. Interesting scenario really. Because at night we don’t (correct me if I’m wrong) the tech to see these suckers except with the eyeballs. We can see the obvious rain, sure, but not the knock your teeth out cu. interesting to watch flightaware after dark; GA flights pretty much shut down it seems. Although if you’re high enough to be over it you can pretty much make out the holes; at least over a city.

This time of the year during the day we’ve been saturated with tcu, cu , cells. The other day the field was 3/4 surrounded. Just go in where there’s an opening.

That sounds exactly like my encounter in the Navajo. Later I figured out the little cell (14k) I flew through was feeding a line. It got my attention. :bugeye: Glad it all worked out. In my Bonanza, the speed brakes kill lift and instantly cut turb dramatically. I wonder how they would do in the Citation.

That sounds exactly like my encounter in the Navajo. Later I figured out the little cell (14k) I flew through was feeding a line. It got my attention. Glad it all worked out. In my Bonanza, the speed brakes kill lift and instantly cut turb dramatically. I wonder how they would do in the Citation.

Its awesome in the Bo. You can get in some really choppy air and take all the bite out of it with the push of a button. If there was a chance to accumulate ice, I wouldn’t do it. In Mark’s situation I may have grabbed the boards to see how it worked.

Every flight is a learning experience. That’s an interesting idea about the speed brakes.

Would have been a tad tough activating the speedbrake switch in the moment.

I will say as bad as it was the aircraft felt pretty solid. Probably weighed 12,500. I know the Twin Cessna would have felt far less solid.

Watching flightaware tonight even the 320’s were ducking under the layers holding mild to moderate precipitation to get into the Tampa area.

I want to learn more about the use of speed brakes in cruise to combat rough air. Only use mine when I am trying to quickly get down.

Would therefore appreciate hearing more from Jesse and others on this subject. Take me through process including power settings, with/without AP use, etc.

Typically, the brakes don’t have limitations. I extend and retract as necessary when encountering turb. Turbulence is nothing more than air parcels mixing at different rates as you transition. Killing the lift on the wing immediately reduces the impact of the change in lift. In the Bonanza, they have the added benefit of eliminating yaw.

I also use them in mountain waves at the top of the IAS change to eliminate the need for power changes. When flying near storms, sudden uprafts that spike the VSI can be rendered less effective by popping the boards.

Increased drag will of course cause less cooling air and prolonged use will require power changes, but I have never needed them for that long.

Its a great tool. We need a thread on their value as they are often overlooked, or considered a crutch. In a single, they have MANY benefits that are not discussed.

In the 525 series we can’t operate unless below 85% N2, that different in the 550s?

My grumpy mentor pilot made me shout the beers if I used them...

Andrew