Aviation Forecasts Flashcards

1
Q

What is an ARFORS?

A

Area weather forecast

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2
Q

What height do ARFORS go up to?

A

FL200

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3
Q

Where are ARFORS available from?

A

ATC, FS, and Met office

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4
Q

The conditions in ARFORS have a probability of what?

A

50% or greater

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5
Q

Format of ARFORS

A
  • Issue time in UTC
  • Period of validity (DDHHMM in UTC) and the ARFOR area number
  • Wind velocity in standard heights (Wind in True)
  • Temperature at standard heights at and above 10,000ft is given with the wind velocity
  • Cloud (AMSL)
  • Weather situation
  • Visibility
  • Freezing level
  • Airframe ice details
  • Turbulence
  • Special location weather forecasts
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6
Q

How much is Australia ahead of UTC?

A

8- 10 hours depending on the region

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7
Q

Australian Eastern Time?

A

UTC +10

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8
Q

Period of validity of ARFOR?

A

Usually, 12 hours but can vary

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9
Q

How is validity expressed?

A

Two six-figure date/ time groups

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10
Q

Explain six figure date/time group…

A

DDHHMM
D= DAY
H= HOUR
M= MINUTES

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11
Q

What does this mean?

262300 TO 271100 AREA 21

A

Area 21
Valid from: 2300Z 26th Day of month
Valid till: 1100Z on the 27th Day of the month

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12
Q

What is wind direction rounded to?

A

Nearest 10 degrees

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13
Q

Are forecasts in True or Magnetic?

A

True

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14
Q

What is wind speed rounded to?

A

Nearest 5 knots

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15
Q

What are the standard heights?

A
  • 2,000ft
  • 5,000ft
  • 7,000ft
  • 10,000ft
  • FL140
  • FL185
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16
Q

For winds not at standard heights?

A

Interpolate or read the nearest height

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17
Q

What heights are temperatures forecasted at?

A
  • 10,000ft
  • FL140
  • FL185
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18
Q

How are temperatures written?

A

PSXX- Positive
MSXX- Minus
ZERO- 0 degrees

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19
Q

What is the cloud height above?

A

AMSL

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20
Q

Cloud types abbreviated….

A
  • CI: CIRRUS
  • CS: CIRROSTRATUS
  • CC: CIRROCUMULUS
  • AS: ALTOSTRATUS
  • AC: ALTOCUMULUS
  • NS: NIMBOSTRATUS
  • CB: CUMLINONIMNUS
  • CU: CUMULUS
  • SC: STRATOCUMULUS
  • ST: STRATUS
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21
Q

Eights of cloud are referred to as..

A

Oktas

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22
Q

Cloud amount abbreviations…

A
  • SKC: SKY CLEAR 0
  • FEW: FEW 1-2 OKTAS
  • SCT: SCATTERED 3- 4 OKTAS
  • BKN: BROKEN 5- 7 OKTAS
  • OVC: OVERCAST 8 OKTAS
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23
Q

Cumulonimbus cloud amount abbreviations…

A
  • ISOL: ISOLATED (INDIVIDUAL CB)
  • OCNL: OCCASIONAL ( WELL SEPARATED)
  • FRQ: FREQUENT (LITTLE OR NO SEPARATION)
  • EMBD: EMBEDDED IN OTHER CLOUD
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24
Q

What is BC?

A

Patches

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25
Q

What is BL?

A

Blowing

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26
Q

What is DR?

A

Drifting

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27
Q

What is FZ?

A

Freezing

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28
Q

What is MI?

A

Shallow

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29
Q

What is SH?

A

Showers

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30
Q

What is TS?

A

Thunderstorms

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31
Q

What is PR?

A

Aerodrome partially covered by fog

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32
Q

What is BR?

A

Mist

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33
Q

What is DU?

A

Dust

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34
Q

What is DS?

A

Dust Storm

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35
Q

What is DZ?

A

Drizzle

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36
Q

What is FC?

A

Funnel Clouds

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37
Q

What is FG?

A

Fog

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38
Q

What is IC?

A

Ice crystals

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39
Q

What is FU?

A

Smoke

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40
Q

What is GR?

A

Hail

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41
Q

What is GS?

A

Small Hail Pellets

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42
Q

What is HZ?

A

Haze

43
Q

What is PL?

A

Ice Pellets

44
Q

What is PO?

A

Dust Devils

45
Q

What is RA?

A

Rain

46
Q

What is SA?

A

Sand

47
Q

What is SG?

A

Snow Grains

48
Q

What is SN?

A

Snow

49
Q

What is SQ?

A

Squall

50
Q

What is SS?

A

Sand Storm

51
Q

What is UP?

A

Unknown Precipitation

52
Q

What is VA?

A

Volcanic Ash

53
Q

What does ( - ) mean?

A

Light

54
Q
What does ( + ) mean?
In forecasts
A

Heavy

55
Q

What units is forecast visibility in?

A

Kilometres or metres

56
Q

What does GOOD mean in the forecast?

A

Visibility greater than 10km

57
Q

What does VIS 40KM DTRT 3000M TS

A

Visibility 40km then deteriorating to 3000m in precipitation associated with thunderstorms

58
Q

What does XW ISOL TS NE AREA TIL 11Z mean?

A

Isolated Thunderstorms in the northeast of forecast area until 1100Z

59
Q

What does WX ISOL DZ MAR/ COT ADJ MON mean?

A

Isolated drizzle at sea, at the coast, and above the adjacent mountains

60
Q

What does 12000, LOWERING TO 1100 SE/ 13000 NW BY 05Z mean?

A

Freezing level initially 12,000ft AMSL, lowering to 11,00ft AMSL in the South East of the forecast area and rising to 13,000ft in the North West area of the forecast by 0500Z

61
Q

What is FBL?

A

Light Icing

62
Q

What is MOD?

A

Moderate Icing

63
Q

What is SEV?

A

Severe Icing

64
Q

What does ICE SEV CLEAR IN CB MOD INC ABV FZL mean?

A

Sever clear ice in CB and moderate unspecified icing in the cloud above the freezing level

65
Q

What details will be given with Turbulence?

A

Location and severity

66
Q

What does TURB MOD/ OCNL SEV BLW 10,000FT/MON/COT/60NM SEAWARDS mean?

A

Moderate turbulence, occasionally severe below 10,000ft AMSL, above the mountains, coastal and out to 60nm seaward

67
Q

What does MAR mean?

A

At sea

68
Q

What does COT mean?

A

At the coast or coastal

69
Q

What does MON mean?

A

Above Mountains

70
Q

What does LAN mean?

A

Inland

71
Q

What is an AIREP?

A

When pilots experience or observe operationally significant weather phenomena which did not appear in the forecast they can transmit an AIREP to alert authorities

72
Q

What is an AIRMET or SIGMET?

A

An updated forecast from AIREP information transmitted over radio or in an updated forecast

73
Q

When is AIRMET advice used?

A

Significant but moderate weather below 12,000ft

74
Q

When is a SIGMET used?

A

For severe and/ or widespread conditions

75
Q

What is an INTER?

A

Intermittent phenomena, expected to occur frequently for periods less than 30 minutes. Fluctuating conditions

76
Q

How is an INTER start and end date and time written?

A

DDHH/DDHH

77
Q

What is a TEMPO?

A

Temporary phenomena lasting longer than 30 minutes but only up to an hour

78
Q

What does FM mean?

A

Indicates significant weather and rapid change at a specified time and they are expected to persist until the end of the validity period or until new conditions are forecast to commence

79
Q

What does TILL mean?

A

Whether that will continue until this time that it ceases

80
Q

What is BECMG?

A

A significant change that will occur at a regular or irregular rate over a specified period rather than rapidly like an FM

81
Q

Are TAF’s in local time or Zulu?

A

Z

82
Q

What is the TAF format?

A

DDHHMM

83
Q

What is the TAF validity period?

A

Usually, 12 hours but can be shorter or longer

84
Q

What validity period do major capital cities have?

A

30 Hours for the long haul flights

85
Q

What is PROV?

A

The provisional forecast is likely deficient in accuracy and it will be confirmed or amended ASAP

86
Q

What is wind direction rounded to?

A

Nearest 10 degrees

87
Q

What is VRB?

A

If wind direction cannot be forecast due to light winds or thunderstorm and cyclone activity; Variable forecast will be used

88
Q

How many knots are gusting conditions?

A

10kts

89
Q

Cloud height above aerodrome ground level is reported in…

A

Hundreds of feet

90
Q

What does SKC mean?

A

The sky is clear of cloud

91
Q

What is CAVOK?

A
  • 10km or greater visibility

- Nil significant wether (No cloud below 5,000ft and no CB or TCU)

92
Q

What is PROB?

A

Probability of significant weather between 30% and 40%

93
Q

What is RMK?

A

Remark

- Gives information of significant weather that the pilot needs to be aware of

94
Q

What does M refer to in regards to forecast temperatures?

A

Negative temperatures

95
Q

Should you round up or down temperatures?

A

Up

96
Q

Should you round up or down QNH?

A

Down

97
Q

What vicinity do METAR and SPECI cover?

A

8- 16km of aerodrome reference point

98
Q

Who makes METARS or SPECIS?

A

Approved observers or automated weather stations

99
Q

What is a METAR used for?

A

Inform pilots of routine observations, usually each hour or half-hour when weather conditions are above specified minima

100
Q

What is a SPECI used for?

A

Informs pilots of special observations when conditions fall below specified minima or when there have been significant changes since the last report.

101
Q

Is there a validity period of METAR or SPECI’s?

A

No

102
Q

Format of METAR or SPECI?

A

Location- Date/Time- AUTO (if Auto)- Wind- Vis WX CLD- Temp/ Dew Point- QNH

103
Q

What is a TTF?

A

When conditions are expected to continue with no significant change for the next 3 hours.