Unit 10 review: Weather Reports and Briefings
A mixed check of all 4 lessons in this unit. Mixing topics is harder than one lesson at a time, and that's the point: it's how the written test and the oral exam ask.
The unit in one minute
- Reading METARsMETAR order: station, time (Z), wind (true), visibility (SM), weather, sky (AGL), temp/dewpoint (°C), altimeter.
- TAFs and winds aloft forecastsTAFs cover 5 SM around the airport, usually for 24 or 30 hours.
- AIRMETs, SIGMETs, PIREPs and weather chartsAIRMETs: Sierra (IFR, mountain obscuration), Tango (turbulence, winds, LLWS), Zulu (icing).
- Getting a weather briefing and making the go/no-go callBriefings: standard, abbreviated, outlook (6+ hours out).
Mixed check
12 questions pulled from across the unit. Wrong answers explain why and point you back to the lesson.
Explain it to your CFI
Say each one out loud in your own words, in under a minute. If you stall, reread that lesson. This is exactly what an examiner looks for.
- Reading METARs. Decode a METAR from start to finish
- TAFs and winds aloft forecasts. Decode a TAF and its change groups
- AIRMETs, SIGMETs, PIREPs and weather charts. Tell AIRMETs, SIGMETs and convective SIGMETs apart
- Getting a weather briefing and making the go/no-go call. Know the types of official briefings
What the examiner may ask
How do you pick a cruising altitude using winds aloft?
Compare winds and temperatures at the legal cruising altitudes for your direction, considering terrain, airspace, cloud clearance and groundspeed.
What is the ceiling?
The lowest broken or overcast layer, or vertical visibility.
What does radar show, and what doesn't it?
Radar shows precipitation, not clouds; light drizzle or clouds without precipitation may not appear.
What would make you cancel this flight?
Weather below personal minimums, thunderstorms, icing, strong winds, or a deteriorating forecast with no good alternate.
Review: Getting a weather briefing and making the go/no-go call →