Subchapter 9.8 – Complete Emergency Scenario: Communication Failure with Weather

You try alternate frequencies but cannot establish contact. Your transponder is set to 7600. On your moving map, the thunderstorm line is now 10 kilometers ahead and extending upward to above Flight Level 180. You can see lightning flashing.

You cannot fly through the thunderstorms safely. You cannot ask ATC for a deviation (your radio is out). However, you have the authority as pilot in command to deviate to avoid weather, even without ATC clearance, provided you maintain separation from other traffic and inform ATC as soon as you regain comms.

You turn 30 degrees left to a heading of 270°, steering around the southern edge of the storm line.