Weather

Question 1

Most of the Earth’s weather occurs in what region?

Answer 1

Troposphere, up to approx 36,000

Question 2

What does dew point mean?

Answer 2

Temperature which a sample of air must be cooled to attain state of saturation.

Question 3

What factor primarily determines the type and vertical extent of clouds?

Answer 3

Stability of the atmosphere.

Question 4

What is the difference between stable and unstable air?

Answer 4

Depends on it’s ability to resist vertical motion. Unstable air producers convective activity.

Question 5

How can you determine the stability of the air?

Answer 5

When temperature decreases uniformly and rapidly as you climb, 3 degrees per 1000 feet.

Question 6

What is an occluded front?

Answer 6

Stop, close up or obstruct… fast moving front catches up with a slow moving front.

Question 7

What is a trough?

Answer 7

Elongated area of low atmospheric pressure. At the surface, when air converges it cannot go downward into the ground, or outward, it must go up.

Question 8

What is a ridge?

Answer 8

Elongated area of high atmospheric pressure. Defending air

Question 9

What types of weather briefings can you get from FSS?

Answer 9

Standard, Abbreviated, Outook, Inflight.

Question 10

What pertinent info can you get from a weather briefing?

Answer 10

Adverse conditions
VFR not recommended
Synopsis
Current conditions
Enroute forecast
Destination forecast
Winds aloft
NOTAMS
ATC Delay
You can also request special use space activity, RAIM etc

Question 11

What are flight information services?

Answer 11

Broadcast through ADS-B to flight decks with weather and aeronautical information.

Question 12

While enroute, you can get updated weather from?

Answer 12

FSS on 122.2 and appropriate RCO (remote communication outlet)

ATIS

HIWAS

Datalink (FIS-B…ADS-B)

ATC

Question 13

Describe types of weather observing programs in use

Answer 13

Manual observations
AWOS - Automated weather observing system
AWOS-broadcasts, permits manual appending
ASOS/AWSS - Primary surface observing system in US. Continuous. Over freq or navaid

Question 14

What are two types of PIREPs?

Answer 14

UA - urgent

UUA - routine

Question 15

What are TAFs?

Answer 15

Terminal Aerodrome Forcasts
5 SM from center of airport
Date and time, valid period, forcasts

Question 16

What is an area forecast (FA)?

Answer 16

Flight information covering a region. Use for enroute weather planning.
3 times a day.. 6 areas, 48 states

Question 17

What is graphical forecasts (GFA)?

Answer 17

Complete picture of weather that may impact flight.

From 14 hours before to 15 hours in the future.

Question 18

What are 4 types of inflight aviation weather advisories?

Answer 18

SIGMET (WS), Convective SIGMET (WST), AIRMET(WA), Central Weather Advisory (CWA)

Question 19

What is a Convective SIGMET?

Answer 19

Valid for 2 hours,
Severe thunderstorms, surface winds > 50Kts, Hail at surface > 3/4 inches
Tornadoes.
Embedded Thunderstorms
Line of thunderstorms
Thunderstorms producing participation levels greater than or equal to heavy-intensity.

Question 20

What is a SIGMET(WS)

Answer 20

Valid 4 hours
(6 for tropical cyclones and volcanic ash)
Severe icing
Severe turbulance or CAT
Dust storms with < 3 miles visibility
Volcanic ash

Question 21

What is AIRMET (WA)

Answer 21

Lower than SIGMET
IFR
Mountain obscuration
Turbulance
Strong surface winds
Icing
Freezing levels

Question 22

What are the different types of Airmets?

Answer 22

Sierra - IFR

Tango - moderate turbulance => 30kts and/or non convective low-level wind shear

Zulu - moderate icing…provides freezing level

Question 23

What is winds and temperatures aloft forecast?

Answer 23

For specific locations, called FBs are issues 4 times daily in 4 digit code format is true north. Wind forecasts are not issued for atltitutes within 1500 feet of location.

Question 24

What valuable information can be determined from an FB?

Answer 24

Most favorable altitude
Areas of possible icing
Temperature inversions
Turbulance… abrupt changes in the wind direction and speed.

Question 25

What is a Center Weather Advisory(CWA)?

Answer 25

For enroute and terminal environments. It is a short-term now cast pinpointing hazardous weather already causing an impact and will for the next 2 hours… it is an inflight tool and are valid for maximum of 2 hours

Question 26

What is a Convective Outlook (AC)?

Answer 26

Narrative and graphical outlook of potential severe
Tornado, wind gusts > 50 Kats hail > 1”

Non-severe
Threads for next 8 days.

Areas of 
Marginal risk (MRGL)
Slight risk (SLGT)
Enhanced risk (ENH)
Moderate risk (MDT)
High risk (HIGH)

Question 27

What is a surface analysis chart?

Answer 27

Analyzed surface weather observations.
Sea level pressure,
Positions of highs, lows, ridges, and troupes
Fronts
It is produced 8 times daily

Question 28

Describe Ceiling and visibility analysis. (CWA)

Answer 28

Real-time.

Generally, for general aviation to avoid IFR conditions.

Question 29

What information does a weather depiction chart provide?

Answer 29

Helps determine IFR, MVFR, VFR. Being phased out by CWA.

Question 30

What does short-range surface prognostic charts provide?

Answer 30

Forecast of surface pressure systems, fronts and precipitation for a 21/2 day period
(12, 18, 24, 48 and 60 hour)
Issued 4 times a day.

Question 31

Describe a low-level signficant weather chart.

Answer 31

Forecast of hazardous weather used for pre-flight briefings. Surface to FL24
12 hour and 24 hour report

Question 32

What are NOTAMS?

Answer 32

Time critical temporary information or not in time for chart publication.
Closures
Navigation aids status changes
Radar service availability
For planned enroute, terminal or landing operations.

Question 33

What are the types and descriptions of NOTAMS?

Answer 33

D-enroute navigation aids, civil public use airports in AFD, facilities, services and procedures

FDC - changes to IFR charts, procedures, and airspace usage

Pointer - highlight or point out another NOTAM

Military - Pertails to military

SAA - Special Activity Airspace will be active outside published schedule.

FICON - Field conditions, contaminant measurements for paved runways.

Question 34

What are keywords contained in NOTAM D?

Answer 34

RWY, TWY, RAMP, APRON, AD, OBST, VAN, COM, SVC, AIRSPACE, U(unverified info),
O(other info)

Question 35

Where can you get NOTAM info?

Answer 35

FSS, DUATS, Notice to Airmen Publication (NTAP… published every 28 days), FAA website

Question 36

What are three types of thunderstorms?

Answer 36

Single cell, Mutli-cell, Supercell

Question 37

What charts and reports are useful in determining potential and locations of thunderstorms?

Answer 37

Convective Outlook (AC) - slight, moderate, high

Significant Weather Chart(SIGWX)

NEXRAD

Convective SIGMETS (WST)

PIREPS

Question 38

What are characteristics of microbursts?

Answer 38

Less than 1 mile in diameter, can extend 21/2 miles near ground level

Downdrafts as strong as 6000 female

Horizonal up to 45 Kts resulting in 90kt wind shear

Can last longer than 15 minutes from the time it strikes the ground until dissipation and if in a line, may last for up to an hour.

Question 39

What reports help determine microburst/wind shear?

Answer 39

TAF
METAR
LLWAS
TDWR - terminal Doppler weather radar, deployed to 45 airports
SIGMET and Convective SIGMET
Visual clues from cockpit
  Heavy rain
  Ring of blowing dust, or flying debri
  Virga
  Tornados features
  At night, lightning
  PIREPS

Question 40

Where can windshear occur?

Answer 40

Low level temperature inversion

Frontal zone or thunderstorm

Clear Air Turbulance (CAT) at high levels associated with jet stream or strong circulation