AV24: PIREPs - JB Flashcards
Define PIREP
Pilot Weather Report - A report by a pilot pertaining to weather conditions in flight.
What are the purposes of PIREPs
- To warn other pilots regarding turbulence, icing, low ceilings and visibility, ect.
- Very important for flight planning purposes
- For aircraft operators scheduling, routing, making go/no go decisions, fuel requirements, weight and balance, de-icing, ect.
- To help weather forecasters provide a more accurate forecast or confirm accuracy of current forecast.
Criteria for soliciting a PIREP
- Poor weather conditions exist
- Necessary to remain aware of flight conditions
- Necessary to determine flying conditions pertinent to natural hazards between reporting stations, in coastal areas, along shorelines, remote areas, mountainous areas, ect
- Current weather conditions differ significantly from those which were forecast
- Requested from another unit or aircraft
Conditions criteria for soliciting a PIREP
- Low clouds (obscure height of terrain, ceiling potentially below 1000FT, inoperative ceiling measuring equipment ect.)
- Reduced visibility (can vary widely in different quadrants and change rapidly and unexpectedly)
- Icing (Important for IFR aircraft operating in cloud. Especially important for all aircraft if freezing precipitation is occurring or likely to occur. )
- Turbulence (If high winds and gusts present, potential for low level windshear, signs of mountain wave reported or reports or knowledge of the presence of turbulence)
- Convective activities (TCU’s CB’s or ACC’s present, presence of moderate to heavy precipitation, or severe weather occurring within sight such as thunder storms, microburst or hail)
- Other Conditions (whenever you become aware of significant hazards to aviation, such as bird migrations, wildlife activity, or debris on maneuvering area surfaces)
Definition of an Urgent PIREP
A pilot report containing weather information significant to the safety of flight
Criteria for an Urgent PIREP
- Volcanic ash
- Tornado, Water Spout or Funnel Cloud
- Severe turbulence
- Severe Icing
- Hail
- Low Level Wind Shear
- Any other reported weather phenomena considered hazardous or potentially hazardous to flight operations.
Definition of a regular PIREP
Any PIREP that is not classified as Urgent
For which stages of an aircrafts flight are we soliciting PIREPS for?
Climb-out Phase
Approach Phase
At what point in the AAS do you solicit a PIREP?
Once you have obtained the pilots intentions. (Roger RWY)
Should you provide a PIREP to a pilot during the advisory?
No, adding a PIREP to the advisory is too much information for the pilot to assimilate at once. Provide it separately if possible. (Roger RWY, give PIREP, solicit PIREP)
Can a PIREP ever include an Altimeter Setting?
No, Do not record, include in a PIREP, nor relay to an aircraft an aerodrome altimeter setting taken by an aircraft
What is the minimum content for a PIREP?
- Header
- Location
- Time
- Flight level or altitude
- Aircraft Type
- At least one other field
PIREP indicators;
UA
Routine PIREP
PIREP indicators;
UUA
Urgent PIREP
PIREP indicators;
/OV
Location of PIREP
PIREP indicators;
/TM
Time that PIREP is received from pilot
PIREP indicators;
/FL
Flight level or altitude ASL of the aircraft when PIREP filed
PIREP indicators;
/TP
Aircraft type
PIREP indicators;
/SK
Sky cover
PIREP indicators;
/TA
Ambient temperature
PIREP indicators;
/WV
Wind velocity
PIREP indicators;
/TB
Turbulence
PIREP indicators;
/IC
Icing
PIREP indicators;
/RM
Remarks
PIREP Headers;
UACN10
Normal PIREP
PIREP Headers;
UACN01
Urgent PIREP
3 ways a location can be reported in a PIREP
1) As a direction and distance from a NAVAID
2) As a direction and distance from am Aerdrome
3) As a geographical coordinate
3 4-letter text abbreviations that can be used for Flight level in PIREP instead of altitude
1) DURD - During decent
2) DURC - During Climb
3) UNKN - Unknown
Abbreviations for sky condition in a PIREP
CLR - clear (not SKC) FEW SCT BKN OVC
Format for sky condition in a PIREP
(cloud base)(sky condition)(cloud tops)
eg. 010BKN028
means ceiling 1000FT Broken, cloud tops 2800FT
Are wind direction in a PIREP reported in degrees magnetic or true?
True, if pilot gives wind direction in degrees magnetic, the specialist must convert to true.
When do you include an altitude in turbulence (/TB) or icing (/IC) in a PIREP?
If different then recorded in /FL
PIREP abbreviations for Turbulence (/TB);
-Intensities
LGT - light
MDT - moderate
SEV - severe
PIREP abbreviations for Turbulence (/TB);
- Type
CAT - clear air turbulence
Where would you record the frequency of Turbulence in a PIREP?
Remarks (/RM) not /TB
Turbulence frequencies in a PIREP
OCNL - occasional - less then 1/3 of the time
INTMT - intermittent - 1/3 - 2/3 of the time
CONTUS - continuous - more then 2/3 of the time
Effect of light turbulence
Momentarily causes slight, erratic changes in altitude and/or attitude
Effect of light chop
Causes slight, rapid and somewhat rhythmic bumpiness without appreciable changes in altitude or attitude
Effect of Moderate Turbulence
Increased intensity causes changes in altitude and/or attitude but aircraft remains in positive control at all times. Changes in indicated airspeed may occur
Effect of moderate chop
More intense chop that causes rapid bumps or jolts without appreciable changes in aircraft altitude or attitude.
Effect of severe turbulence
Causes large abrupt changes in altitude and/or attitude with large variations in indicated air speed. Aircraft may be momentarily out of control
Intensity of icing;
TR
Trace - Ice become perceptible, deicing not used unless encountered for more then 1 hour. Rate of accumulation slightly higher than rate of sublimation.
Intensity of icing;
LGT
Light - Rate of accumulation may create a problem if flight is prolonged in this environment (over 1 hour) Occasional use of deicing/anti-icing equipment
Does not pose a problem is deicing/anti-icing used
Intensity of icing;
MDT
Moderate - Rate of accretion is such that even short encounters become potentially hazardous and use of deicing/anti-icing or a diversion is necessary
Intensity of icing;
SEV
Severe - rate of accretion is such that deicing/anti-icing fails to reduce or control hazard. Immediate diversion is necessary.
What goes in Remarks (/RM) in a PIREP?
Any information not acceptable in previous fields in the order of importance. (TS before VIS ect.)
If a local name is given, give name, then direction and distance from March in brackets. eg. Evelyn (5 NW YMR)
