Deviation
The airways are very ordered, the flight plans are clearly defined, and the atmosphere is a dynamic environment that calls upon pilots to frequently make decisions to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public. The pilot of this Thomas Cook Airbus prudently chose to deviate from his flight planned route to avoid the thunderstorm at his 5 o’clock. Air traffic controllers do an admirable job deconflicting the diverting aircraft’s flight paths and readily providing warnings of weather intensity along the way…but there is no substitute for keeping one’s eyes on the horizon to avoid hazardous weather.
The Aerial Horizon 