Weather Flashcards
How can a pilot obtain a weather briefing?
A pilot can obtain a weather briefing through FSS, AviationWeather.gov, or by calling 800-WX-Brief.
What are the limitations of onboard weather equipment?
NextRad can be as old as 15 minutes, which can be dangerous in severe conditions. Progcharts, WXbrief, FSS, and Metar & TAF can also be out of date in severe weather conditions.
What is the 123 Rule for selecting an alternate?
No alternates are required if an instrument approach is published and available for the destination, and for at least 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA, the ceiling will be >2000’ AGL and visibility >3 SM.
Can a pilot select any suitable airport as their alternate?
Yes, a pilot can select any suitable airport ‘on the fly’ as their alternate, primarily for fuel planning purposes.
What are the GPS considerations for WAAS?
WAAS can be used for either destination or alternate, but not both. Without WAAS, minimums must be increased to localizer minimums.
What weather phenomena can cold fronts bring?
Cold fronts can bring a narrow band of precipitation, severe thunderstorms, hailstorms, snow squalls, and/or tornadoes.
What can warm fronts result in?
Warm fronts may result in freezing rain or freezing drizzle, and can lead to stratiform clouds, drizzle, low ceilings, poor visibility, variable winds, and a rise in temperature.
What is a SIGMET?
A SIGMET is a weather advisory that indicates hazardous weather to all aircraft, including widespread severe weather, convective activity, and volcanic ash.
What is an AIRMET?
An AIRMET contains weather information pertinent to most aircraft, with conditions more moderate than a SIGMET.
What are the different types of weather reports?
Types of weather reports include METAR (routine report), TAF (forecast for a specific airport), Area Forecast (larger area forecast), Temperature & Winds Aloft, and Center Weather Advisory.
What does a Surface Analysis Chart show?
A Surface Analysis Chart provides surface level weather observations.
What are the two types of icing?
The two types of icing are Structural (Clear, Rime, Mixed) and Induction.
What are the categories of icing?
The categories of icing are Trace, Light, Moderate, and Severe.
What meteorological information should be considered regarding ice during preflight?
Consider the location of fronts, cloud layers, freezing levels, air temperature & pressure, and precipitation.
How can a pilot mitigate the risk of encountering ice during preflight planning?
Mitigation strategies include considering aircraft climb performance, route’s minimum altitude, weight effects on climb rate, and the impact of icing on drag and fuel consumption.
