AVIATION WEATHER

1
AVIATION WEATHER

• DEBBIE SCHAUM

2
Self- Briefing Procedures

• Weather Awareness
• Big picture, whats the general weather along
  your route.
• Look outside
• Look at the weather on the TV
• Get the big picture from your home computer

3
Self Briefing cont.

• Are you ready to fly this mission?
• - Are you qualified to fly in these conditions?
  
• - Do you have the experience to take on this
  mission?
• - Are you physically capable?
• - Are you mentally ready?

4
Things you need to know

• What type of aircraft
• Limits of aircraft
• Proposed flight level
• Take off and destination forecast
• Hazards enroute
• Winds enroute
• Time enroute

5
Weather information

• Current weather
• Surface analysis
• Weather depiction
• Radar summary
• Satellite
• METARS along route
• Pireps

6
Weather Information Cont.

• Forecast Weather
• TAFS for takeoff and departure
• Prog charts valid for flight time
• Hazard forecast valid for flight time
• Hazards at your flight level
• Discussion bulletins that apply to your route of
  flight

7
Alternates and Flight Paths

• An Alternate is used if the weather at your
  destination is not suitable for landing.
• Winds are too strong or creating too much of a
  crosswind
• Thunderstorms/severe weather are over the field
• Visibilities are below pilots/planes minimum
  capabilities
• Ceiling is too low
• Runway is icy or snow covered

8
Weather Data Sources
9
ERAU WX

• http//wx.erau.edu/data/
• Good satellite and radar images access to WSI
  data limited surface and forecast graphics does
  not have upper air or model graphics data.

10
(No Transcript)
11
Graphical data allows route planning
12
(No Transcript)
13
Then pick additional Information for your route
of flight
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)
19
Aviation Weather Center

• http//aviationweather.gov/
• http//adds.aviationweather.gov/
• Good for aviation weather hazards good satellite
  access icing and turbulence information pilot
  reports some manual forecast graphics access to
  experimental aviation hazard products (ADDS)
  lacks model data lacks public weather

20
(No Transcript)
21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
National Weather Service

• http//weather.gov/
• Good overview of public weather click on
  organization to get web listings for all local
  NWS offices

25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
HOURLY WEATHER GRAPH
Take off data Runway Cross winds Chance
of Precip
28
NCAR-RAP

• http//www.rap.ucar.edu/weather
• Aviation oriented web page forecast model
  graphics are useful aviation planning (clouds,
  winds, etc) has links to other related weather
  web sites.
• Vertical profile data (Skew-T/Log P)

29
Using the ADDS Flight Planning Tool

• Go to http//adds.aviationweather.gov/
• Click on Java Tools

30

• Launch new FPT (Flight Path Tool)
• Select your flight altitude

31

• Click on Configure and Identify the items you
  want displayed

32
(No Transcript)
33
Creating a cross sectional view

• Click on airplane button on left side.
• Place cursor on starting location and left click
  (should put a 1 on that location)
• Move your mouse to your destination and left
  click (should put a 2 on that location)
• Continue to all your destinations
• When complete right click and click on show
  cross-section.

34
(No Transcript)
35
Cross section cont.

• This should display a cross section view.
• It will always have your starting destination on
  the left side.
• Along the bottom you will find all the
  information you requested by rolling over the
  points

36
(No Transcript)
37
METARS/TAFS

• METAR is Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine
  Weather Report
• It is the observation of current conditions
• By the time it is online it is old information
• TAF is Terminal Airdrome Forecast
• Provide a forecast of weather conditions at an
  airport for the next 6-24 hours.

38
(No Transcript)
39
(No Transcript)
40
Forecasting tools

• http//wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/SREF_avia/FCST/A
  VN/web_site/visb/cnv_com_09z_prb1.htm
• Great aviation tool for looking up to 63 hrs into
  future
• Flight restriction probabilities
• Ceiling and cloud tops
• Low level wind shear
• Icing potential up to FL 240
• Turbulence potential FL 180 and higher
• Precip probability
• Fog probability

41
(No Transcript)
42
(No Transcript)
43
SREF
Time of origin
Valid time
Probability
44
Food for thought