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NEW Pilot's Cafe > Weather > Flashcards

Weather Flashcards

1
Q

What is an AIRMET?

A

An advisory of significant weather phenomena at lower intensities than those which require the issuance of SIGMETs. These conditions may affect all aircraft but are potentially hazardous to aircraft with limited capability.

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2
Q

How long is an AIRMET valid?

A

Valid for 6 hours.

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3
Q

What does AIRMET (T) describe?

A

Moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds of 30 knots or greater, and/or non-convective low-level wind shear.

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4
Q

What does AIRMET (Z) describe?

A

Moderate icing and provides freezing level heights.

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5
Q

What does AIRMET (S) describe?

A

IFR conditions and/or extensive mountain obscurations.

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6
Q

Where can Graphical AIRMETs be found?

A

Found at www.aviationweather.gov

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7
Q

What is a SIGMET?
How long are they valid for?

A

A non-scheduled inflight advisory with a maximum forecast period of 4 hours. Advises of non-convective weather potentially hazardous to all types of aircraft.

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8
Q

What conditions warrant the issuance of a SIGMET?

A

Severe icing not associated with thunderstorms, severe or extreme turbulence or Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) not associated with thunderstorms, dust storms, sandstorms lowering surface visibility below 3 miles.

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9
Q

What is a Convective SIGMET?

A

An inflight advisory of convective weather significant to the safety of all aircraft.

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10
Q

How often are Convective SIGMETs issued?

A

Issued hourly at 55 minutes past the hour for the western (W), eastern (E), and central (C) USA.

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11
Q

What does a Convective SIGMET include?

A

Contains either an observation and a forecast or only a forecast.

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12
Q

What severe conditions can lead to a Convective SIGMET?

A

Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, embedded thunderstorms, or a line of thunderstorms at least 60 miles long affecting at least 40% of its length.

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13
Q

What is a Flight Service Station (FSS)?

A

A source of weather information for pilots.

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14
Q

What is NOAA’s Aviation Weather Center Website?

A

https://www.aviationweather.gov/

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15
Q

What are some flight planning websites?

A

www.1800wxbrief.com and www.fltplan.com

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16
Q

What is Transcribed Weather Broadcast (TWEB)?

A

A recorded broadcast over selected L/MF and VOR facilities of weather information for the local area, available in Alaska only.

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17
Q

What is Flight Information Services-Broadcast (FIS-B)?

A

A ground information data link service provided through the ADS-B service network over 978 UAT MHz.

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18
Q

What information does FIS-B provide?

A

METAR, TAF, NEXRAD, AIRMET, SIGMETs, convective SIGMETs, TFR, Special Use Airspace updates, NOTAMs, and PIREPs.

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19
Q

What is Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)?

A

A continuous broadcast of local airport weather and NOTAMs, updated hourly.

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20
Q

What is Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS)?

A

Typically updates hourly.

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21
Q

What is Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS)?

A

Updates every minute.

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22
Q

What does ATC provide?

A

Center weather advisories issued by ARTCC to alert pilots of existing or anticipated adverse weather conditions.

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23
Q

What are the types of weather briefings?

A

Standard, Abbreviated, Outlook, and Inflight.

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24
Q

What does a Standard weather briefing include?

A

Adverse conditions, VFR not recommended, synopsis, current conditions, enroute forecast, destination forecast, winds aloft, NOTAMs, and ATC delays.

25
Q

What is an International SIGMET?

A

Issued outside the Contiguous USA and follows ICAO coding standards.

26
Q

What criteria are used for International SIGMETs?

A

Thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, severe icing, severe turbulence, dust storms, and volcanic ash.

27
Q

What is a PIREP?

A

Pilot weather reports.

28
Q

What is a METAR?

A

Aviation routine weather showing surface weather observations in a standard international format.

29
Q

What is a TAF?

A

Terminal Aerodrome Forecast, a weather forecast for a 5SM radius area around the station.

30
Q

What does a Surface Analysis Chart show?

A

Pressure systems, isobars, fronts, airmass boundaries, and station information.

31
Q

What does a Radar Summary Chart depict?

A

Precipitation type, intensity, coverage, movement, echoes, and maximum tops.

32
Q

What is a Low Level Significant Weather Chart?

A

Forecasts significant weather conditions for a 12 and 24 hour period from the surface to 400 mb level.

33
Q

What is a Mid-Level Significant Weather Chart?

A

Forecasts significant weather phenomena for altitudes between low and high levels.

34
Q

What is a High-Level Significant Weather Chart?

A

Depicts forecasts of significant weather phenomena for FL250 to FL630.

35
Q

What is a Convective Outlook?

A

A 3-day forecast of convective activity classified by risk levels.

36
Q

What types of weather satellite images are there?

A

Visible, Infrared (Color or B/W), and Water vapor.

37
Q

What is Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD)?

A

Products that include composite reflectivity and precipitation estimates.

38
Q

What is fog?

A

A cloud that begins within 50 ft of the surface.

39
Q

What is the HEMS tool?

A

An online tool that replaced the older weather depiction chart for surface observations.

Available at www.aviationweather.gov/hemst

40
Q

What does the turbulence forecast tool show?

A

A color-coded turbulence forecast based on aircraft category, altitude, and time.

Available at aviationweather.gov/turbulence/gtg

41
Q

When does fog occur?

A

When the air temperature near the ground reaches its dew point, or when the dew point is raised to the existing temperature by added moisture.

42
Q

What is radiation fog?

A

Fog that occurs at calm, clear nights when the ground cools rapidly due to the release of ground radiation.

43
Q

What is advection fog?

A

Fog that forms when warm, moist air moves over a cold surface, requiring winds to form.

44
Q

What is ice fog?

A

Fog that forms when the temperature is much below freezing and water vapor turns directly into ice crystals.

45
Q

What is upslope fog?

A

Fog that occurs when moist, stable air is forced up a terrain slope and cooled down to its dew point by adiabatic cooling.

46
Q

What is steam fog?

A

Fog that forms when cold, dry air moves over warm water, adding moisture to the airmass.

47
Q

What are the conditions for structural ice formation?

A
  1. Visible moisture (i.e., rain, cloud droplets) and 2. Aircraft surface temperature below freezing.
48
Q

What is clear ice?

A

The most dangerous type of structural ice, heavy and hard, forming as a smooth sheet of solid ice.

Usually occurs at temperatures close to the freezing point (-10° to 0° C) by large supercooled drops of water.

49
Q

What is rime ice?

A

Opaque, white, rough ice formed by small supercooled water drops freezing quickly.

50
Q

What is mixed ice?

A

A combination of clear and rime ice formed simultaneously.

51
Q

What is instrument ice?

A

Structural ice forming over aircraft instruments and sensors, such as pitot and static.

52
Q

What is induction ice?

A

Ice that reduces the amount of air for the engine intake.

53
Q

What is intake ice?

A

Ice that blocks the engine intake.

54
Q

What is carburetor ice?

A

Ice that may form due to a steep temperature drop in the carburetor Venturi.

Typical conditions are outside air temperatures of -7° to 21° C and high relative humidity (above 80%).

55
Q

What is frost?

A

Ice crystals caused by sublimation when both the temperature and the dew point are below freezing.

56
Q

What are the three conditions required for the formation of thunderstorms?

A
  1. Sufficient water vapor (moisture), 2. An unstable temperature lapse rate, 3. An initial uplifting force.
57
Q

What are the three stages in the thunderstorm lifecycle?

A
  1. Cumulus, 2. Mature, 3. Dissipating.
58
Q

What characterizes the mature stage of a thunderstorm?

A

Begins when precipitation starts falling from the cloud base, with updrafts exceeding 6000 fpm and all thunderstorm hazards at their greatest intensity.

59
Q

What are some hazards associated with thunderstorms?

A

Limited visibility, wind shear, strong updrafts/downdrafts, icing, hailstones, heavy rain, severe turbulence, lightning strikes, and tornadoes.

NEW Pilot's Cafe (6 decks)

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