SPAATZ AEROSPACE 9,10,18,19 Flashcards
Knowing where you are, where you are going and how to get there
Navigation
The basic grid system (graticule) for Earth uses 18 primary great circles going north-south. These lines are called lines of
Longitude
The parallels have 10 degrees spacing between them from the equator to the poles and are known as lines of
Latitude
The starting point, or zero degrees, is the great circle line that passes from the North Pole to the South through Greenwich, England
Prime Meridian
Most useful when the map only shows a very small part of the Earth’s surface
Mercator projections
Made by wrapping a flat map folded into a cone, around the globe. This makes a map that is more useful for longer distance travel near the middle parts of the Earth
Lambert-Conformal maps
Most commonly used aeronautical chart
Sectional aeronautical chart
The term used to describe elevations
Relief
Used to show changes in elevation smaller than the 1,000-foot color-tint scheme
Contour lines
In the very hilly or mountainous areas, another technique is used to give the impression of relief
Pictorial presentation
If the airport is unpaved (symbol)
Magenta circle
If the airport has facilities (symbol)
Four small projections, or ticks, radiate outward from the circle
Closed airports (symbol)
Circle with a “X”
Uncontrolled Airports (symbol)
Magenta
Controlled Airport (symbol)
Blue
A general term for airspace that has several subdivisions and is shown on aeronautical charts
Controlled airspace
Largest area of controlled airspace
Continental control area
Continental control area starts at
14,500 feet
Three-dimensional highways in the sky and are another subdivision of controlled airspace
Airways
Pilots are expected to exercise extreme caution when flying through such areas
Warning and alert areas
A special segment of the airspace where military flight-training activities are conducted
Military operations area
A sometimes-flown, low-level training route appearing on sectional aeronautical charts
Military training route
Show extreme detail around airfields so that the pilot can study the takeoff and landing areas closely
Terminal Area Charts
The location of Earth’s north geographic pole
True north
Only non-electronic means the pilot has of determining the airplane’s distance above the surface
Altimeter
A measure of how fast your aircraft is going across the surface of the Earth
Ground speed
A tool used by the pilot to figure out where wind drift will cause the aircraft to fly over the ground
Wind triangle
Navigating by reference to visible landmarks
Pilotage
Calculating one’s current position by using a previously determined position
Dead reckoning
Used to determine direction, but it does not provide as much information to the aviator as the VOR
Automatic direction finder
Self-contained unit located within the aircraft that needs only to be programmed for a starting point and destination
Inertial Navigation
Used only within a short distance from the airport and only when the purpose is to land the airplane
Instrument landing system
Mines (symbol)
Picks and sledgehammers
Highway (symbol)
Black or magenta lines
Victor airways and are based on the locations of radio navigation stations, which are called …
Very-High-Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR)
The most important part of the airport is the…
Runway
Roads that aircraft use to get to the runway
Taxiway
Parking spots for aircraft
Ramps and hangers
A voice recording of a tower controller. The recording tells pilots about the wind, clouds, visibility and any restrictions that the runways may have
Automated Terminal Information System (ATIS)
A service station for airplanes
Fixed base operation (FBO)
Designed to handle people, baggage and cargo
Passenger Terminal
Provides all types of weather information to pilots. It gives forecasts and current weather along the route of flight
Flight Service Station
Sometimes called “an ocean of air surrounding the Earth.”
The atmosphere
A complex mixture of molecules and atoms
Atmosphere
That region in which most people live, work, play and fly
Troposphere
In this region, temperature goes up with increase in altitude
The Stratosphere and Stratopause
From 50 miles outward to about 300 miles
Thermosphere
Special region, or global shell, that extends from about 10 to 30 miles altitude
Ozonosphere
Begins at an altitude of about 25 miles and extends outward to about 250 miles
Ionosphere
The shell, or region, below the ionosphere that extends down to the surface of the Earth
Neutrosphere
It overlaps the ozonosphere and ionosphere and begins at about the stratopause, includes the mesosphere, and sometimes the lower part of the thermosphere
Chemosphere
Extends from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of about 60 miles. That region in which the gaseous composition and mixing are relatively constant
Homosphere
Begins around the 55- to 60-mile altitude. Molecules and atoms of the gases are spaced much farther apart. At this altitude, gravity influences them according to mass and they take on a vertical arrangement
Heterosphere
Begins in that region where the atmosphere’s molecules and atoms are so far apart they would have to travel as far as 100 miles before running into another molecule or atom
Exosphere
Indicates how tightly the particles of matter are packed together
Density
The temperature at or below which water vapor will condense
Dew Point
The atmosphere is in constant…
Motion
When one molecule (energized to a higher level of molecular motion through the heating process), contacts another molecule, the second molecule absorbs some of this heat
Conduction
Any heat transfer by vertical motion
Convection
Temperature will be transferred horizontally over the surface of the Earth by blowing winds or moving air masses
Advection
Transfers heat energy without changing the temperature of anything between the source of energy and the object heated
Radiation
The rate at which the Earth’s surface is heated by solar radiation
Insolation
A comparatively narrow current of air which moves around the Northern (and Southern) Hemispheres of the Earth in wavelike patterns
Jet stream
The condition of the atmosphere at any particular time and place
Weather
Large body of air
Air mass
A _____ air mass is cold
Polar
A ______ air mass is hot
Tropical
A _____ air mass is humid
Maritime
A ____ air mass is dry
Continental
The boundaries between air masses of different characteristics
Fronts
General direction of travel across the United States is from the northwest to southeast. Travel very far south, even in the summertime. The energy of a depends on the amount of cold air that comprises the high-pressure cell behind it
Cold fronts
Connected to a low-pressure cell, extends eastward from it and travels northeastward
Warm front
When air masses lose their “punch” and are not replacing one another
Stationary front
Formed when a warm air mass, lying between two cold air masses, is lifted up by the cold air mass behind it
Occluded front
The three general types of clouds
Cumulus (piled up)
Stratus (layered)
Cirrus (high, thin appearance)
Beginning at the lower altitudes, between 300 and 6,500 feet, the stratus, cumulus, stratocumulus, cumulonimbus and nimbostratus types of clouds are found
Low
First identified by the prefix “alto’’ (high, but not highest). At middle altitude, which is between 6,500 feet and 20,000 feet, the stratus and cumulus shapes are
found, but are known as altostratus and altocumulus
Middle
At 20,000 feet and up, cirrus types appear
High
Describe a broken stratus layer
Fracto
A special type of cloud that frequently forms as strong winds sweep up and over the tops of high mountains
Lenticular
Has a smooth appearance. It indicates to pilots that no turbulence (bumpiness) is associated
with the cloud
Stratus and altostratus
This cloud has numerous bumps on the topside and usually is rather thick
Stratocumulus
Has a harmless, puffy, cotton-ball appearance with a horizontal dark base. It is known as fair-weather
Cumulus
A surface-based cloud because it develops within the atmosphere
Fog
An atmospheric condition in which changes in speed and direction of the wind occur
Wind Shear
Caused when a column of air is quickly cooled (usually by rain) and rapidly falls towards the Earth
Microburst
May exist at different places and altitudes, but be completely invisible
Clear air turbulence
Occurs when warm waters move in and displace the colder waters for a longer than normal period of time
El nino
Ocean temperature off the coast of South America is colder than normal for a longer than normal period
La nina
Moist and warm air mass formed over subtropical waters
Maritime tropical
Body of air with generally the same temperature and moisture content
Air mass
Boundary between two air masses
Front
Cold and dry air mass
Continental polar
Moist air is blown over a cold surface
Advection fog
Moist air is carried by wind up a mountain until the air is cooled
Upslope fog
Upslope fog
High-inversion fog
Forms when the land surface cools the air above it to below the dew point
Radiation fog
Most common types of clouds\\
Cumulus, stratus, cirrus
