ATSC 113    Applied Meteorology
Weather for Sailing, Flying & Snow Sports



Theme: Flying Weather

Module

  Learning Goals
A
f13
B
f10
C
f15
D
1. Clouds, Ceiling, Visibility & Fog
      By the end of this module, you will be able to:

X
X

a
Identify & classify clouds, and relate them to local and larger-scale weather systems and to potential hazards to aircraft

X


b
Recognize and explain special clouds (e.g., castellanus, billow, lenticular, rotor, banner, fractus, etc.) 
X

X

c
Relate cloud coverage amounts to the visual appearance of the sky 
X

X

d
Define the cloud ceiling, estimate its altitude, and relate it to cloud coverage amounts 
X



e
Contrast horizontal visibility, vertical visibility, runway visual range, and discuss how they affect aviation 


X

f
Recognize and interpret weather and obscuration glyphs on weather charts 
X
X
X

g
Explain the difference between visual & instrument flight rules (VFR, IFR) and meteorological conditions (VFC, VMC, IFC, IMC), and how they affect aviation


X

h
Anticipate when fog might occur based on location, humidity, temperature, winds, and cloudcover, and how fog affects aviation 


X

i
Explain the nature of these obscurations: haze, smoke, blowing dust/sand, blowing snow, volcanic ash, rain, and how they affect aviation  

A
f13
B
f10
C
f15
D
2.  Pressure, Temperature, Winds & Wind Shear
        By the end of this module, you will be able to:



X
a
Draw and explain the variation of pressure and density with altitude



X
b
Explain how reduced oxygen and/or high altitude affects pilot physiology  



X
c
Determine "density altitude" and explain why pilots use it

X


d
Compute crosswind & headwind components 

X


e
Identify the causes and typical locations of wind shear at aerodromes 



X
f
Relate updrafts for soaring to causes including thermals, anabatic winds, and mountain waves 

A
f13
B
f10
C
f15
D
3.  Turbulence & Icing
        By the end of this module, you will be able to:

X


a
Identify atmospheric layers according to temperature characteristics in the standard atmosphere   
X
X


b
Determine the static stability given temperature soundings, and describe its effects on air motion and on aviation

X


c Describe how different types of turbulence form, and relate turbulence intensities to aircraft behavior

X


d
Describe the characteristics and causes of mountain waves, relate them to winds and stability using the Froude-number, and describe how they affect flight



X
e
Describe the characteristics and causes of clear air turbulence (CAT), relate them to winds shear & stability

X


f
Compare the characteristics and causes of boundary-layer & obstacle/mountain-wake turbulence, and describe their effects on aviation


X

g
Explain how and where supercooled water forms, and explain how ice on aircraft affects flight 
X

X

h
Locate likely areas of turbulence, icing, and thunderstorms relative to drylines and to warm, cold & occluded fronts, and describe how these frontal hazards affect aviation 

A
f13
B
f10
C
f15
D
4.  Thunderstorms & Aviation Weather Services
        By the end of this module, you will be able to:
X



a
Describe thunderstorm cells, the different types of thunderstorms, and their hazards to aviation 
X



b
Identify thunderstorm hazards to flight & how to avoid them.  Details of these hazards are in Learning Goals 4c-h
X



c
• Convective turbulence 



X
d
• Downbursts and gust fronts 



X
e
• Lightning and Pstatic  



X
f
• Hail  



X
g
• Tornadoes  



X
h
• Heavy Rain  
X
X
X

i
Access real-time weather info online from aviation weather services

Links to related info:


UBC ATSC 113 Weather for Sailing, Flying & Snow Sports
Copyright © 2015 - 2019 by Roland Stull
Last modification: Jan 2019
.