Weather Products Flashcards
Service outlets
•Government or private facilities that provide aviation weather services. FAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the NWS work in conjunction with private aviation companies to provide different means of accessing weather information.
•Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS)
•Primary source for preflight weather information.
•Can be obtained 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-WX BRIEF from almost anywhere in the United States.
•IF AFSS unavailable, consult the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) or in the United States Government section of the telephone book.
Standard briefing
•Standard Briefing- Most complete report and provides the overall weather picture. This type of briefing should be obtained prior to the departure of any flight and should be used during flight planning.
•Adverse conditions–include significant weather, such as thunderstorms or aircraft icing, or other important items such as airport closings.
•VFR flight not recommended—if the weather for the route of flight is below VFR minimums, or if it is doubtful the flight could be made under VFR conditions. It is the pilot’s decision whether to continue the flight under VFR, but this advisory should be weighed carefully.
•Synopsis—an overview of the larger weather picture. Fronts and major weather systems that affect the general area are provided.
Abbreviated briefing
•Shortened version of the standard briefing.
•Requested when a departure has been delayed or when weather information is needed to update the previous briefing.
Outlook briefing
•Requested when a planned departure is 6 hours or more away.
•Provides initial forecast information that is limited in scope due to the timeframe of the planned flight.
•A standard briefing near the time of departure ensures that the pilot has the latest information available prior to their flight.
Automated weather observing system (AWOS)
•Automated weather reporting system consisting of various sensors, a processor, a computer-generated voice subsystem, and a transmitter to broadcast weather data.
•Designed to provide basic weather information to pilots at airports that have no other approved weather reporting.
Automated surface observing system (ASOS)
•Weather reporting system which provides surface observations every minute via digitized voice broadcasts and printed reports.
•Generally, more sophisticated than AWOS and is designed to provide the necessary information to generate weather forecasts.
•In the Air:
•ASOS and AWOS frequencies are listed on sectional charts, instrument approach charts, and in the Airport/Facilities Directory (A/FD). On sectional charts, look for ASOS and AWOS frequencies listed in the airport information.
•On the Ground:
•Besides local broadcasts received in flight, pilots can use the telephone access prior to departure to check automated ASOS and AWOS recordings at their destination or at airports along the route
Hazardous inflight weather advisory system (HIWAS)
•National program for broadcasting hazardous weather information continuously over selected navigation aids (NAVAIDs).
•Include advisories such as AIRMETS, SIGMETS, convective SIGMETS, and urgent PIREPs.
•Depicted on sectional charts with an “H” in the upper right corner of the identification box.
Automatic terminal information service (ATIS)
•The continuous broadcast of recorded non-control information in selected terminal areas.
•Its purpose is to improve controller effectiveness and relieve frequency congestion by automating repetitive transmission of essential but routine information.
•Winds given are magnetic.
Aviation routine weather report (METAR)
•Coded observation of current surface weather
•Issued hourly (H +:50) by select airports
Example:
KIWA 171847Z 08014G20KT 45SM SCT100 SCT150 29/13 A2998
KIWA-Location
171847Z-17th day of month, 18:47 Zulu
08014G20KT-Wind from 080° true @ 14 Kts, Gusting to 20 Knots
45SM-Visibility 45 Statute Miles
SCT100 SCT150-Scattered Clouds at 10,000’ 15,000’
29/13-Temperature 29° C, Dewpoint 13° C
A2998-Altimeter 29.98”
Pilot weather reports (PIREPs)
•Provide valuable information regarding the conditions as they exist in the air, which cannot be gathered from any other source.
•Uses:
•Confirm height and bases of cloud layers
•Locations of windshear and turbulence
•Any unexpected or un-forecasted conditions
Terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF)
•Established for 5 SM radius around larger airports.
•Valid for a 24 or 30-hour time period, updated four times a day at 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, and 1800Z.
•Utilizes the same descriptors and abbreviations as used in the METAR report.
Surface analysis chart
•Analysis chart of plotted surface observations
•Issued 8X daily (every 3 hrs.)
•Displays lines of equal pressure (isobars), positions of highs, lows, ridges and troughs and location and character of fronts. Many other items are displayed as needed
Significant weather low level prognostic chart
•Depicts aviation hazards forecast at the indicated time at altitudes up to and including 24,000 ft.
•Issued 4X per day
•Areas with IFR conditions and marginal VFR conditions
•Turbulence-if no bottom given then from surface
• Freezing levels either surface or aloft
•Same issuance and validity as Low Level Prog chart
•Provides precipitation and weather shading
Winds and temps aloft
•Provides forecast wind direction, speed and temperature at given altitudes
•Issued 4X daily
•Winds not included if within 1,500 ft of station, temps not included if within 2,500 ft
•Altitudes up to 12,000 ft reference True Altitude (MSL), 18,000 ft and up reference Pressure Altitude
•Temperatures above 24,000 ft are assumed negative
•Wind Format:
•< 5 knots or light and variable 9900
•From 270 deg at 23 knots 2723
Airmen’s meteorological information (AIRMETs)
•Concise description of the occurrence or expected occurrence of specified enroute weather phenomena which may affect the safety of aircraft operations, but at intensities lower than those which require the issuance of a SIGMET
•Intended for all pilots, but specific concern to smaller craft
•AIRMET SIERRA
•Ceiling less than 1,000 feet and/or visibility less than 3 statute miles (IFR)
•Precipitation (PCPN), smoke (FU), haze (HZ), mist (BR), fog (FG), and blowing snow (BS)
•Widespread mountain obscuration (MTN OBSCN)
•Clouds (CLDS), precipitation (PCPN), smoke (FU), haze (HZ), mist (BR), and fog (FG)
•AIRMET TANGO
•Moderate turbulence (MOD TURB)
•Top and bottom of MOD TURB layer are specified
AIRMET ZULU- Ice
