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Meteorology

THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE

    1  Composition and physical properties
  2  Vertical structure
  3  Standard atmosphere
  4  Density and pressure
  5  Expansion and compression

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

    1  Units of measurement
  2  Station pressure
  3  Sea level pressure
  4  Pressure systems and their variations
  5  Effects of temperature
  6  Isobars

METEOROLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ALTIMETRY

•  1  Pressure altitude
•  2  Density altitude
•  3  Altimeter settings
•  4  Considerations when flying to/from high to low pressure or temperature areas

TEMPERATURE

•   1  Heating and cooling of the atmosphere - convection, advection and radiation
  2  Horizontal differences
•  3  Temperature variations with altitude
•  4  Inversions
  5  Isothermal layers

MOISTURE

•   1  Relative humidity and dewpoint
  2  Sublimation and condensation
  3  Cloud formation
  4  Precipitation
  5  Saturated and dry adiabatic lapse rate

STABILITY AND INSTABILITY

  1  Lapse rate and stability
  2  Modification of stability
•   3  Characteristics of stable and unstable air
  4  Surface heating and cooling
•   5  Lifting processes
  6  Subsidence and convergence

CLOUDS

  1  Classification
  2  Formation and structure
•   3  Types and recognition
•   4  Associated precipitation and turbulence

SURFACE BASED LAYERS

•   1  Fog formation
•   2  Fog types (including mist)
  3  Haze and smoke
  4  Blowing obstruction to vision

TURBULENCE

  1  Convection
  2  Mechanical
  3  Orographic
•   4  Wind shear
  5  Reporting criteria

WIND

  1  Definition
•   2  Pressure gradient
  3  Deflection caused by the earth's rotation
•   4  Low level winds - variation in surface wind
  5  Friction
•   6  Veer/back
  7  Squall/gusts
  8  Diurnal effects
  9  Land and sea breezes
  10  Katabatic and anabatic effects
•   11  Topographical effects
•   12  Wind shear - types, causes

AIR MASSES

    1  Definition and characteristics
  2  Formation and classification
  3  Modification
  4  Factors that determine weather
  5  Seasonal and geographic effects
  6  Air masses affecting North America

FRONTS

  1  Structure
•   2  Types
  3  Formation
  4  Cross-sections
•   5  Cold front weather
•   6  Warm front weather
  7  Trowal and upper front

AIRCRAFT ICING

   1  In-flight - freezing rain
  2  Hoar frost
  3  Impact icing (engine)

THUNDERSTORMS

•  1  Requirements for development
  2  Structure and development
  3  Types - air mass and frontal
•  4  Hazards - Updrafts, downdrafts, gust fronts, downbursts, microbursts, hail and lightning
  5  Squall lines

HURRICANES AND TORNADOES

    1  Hazards

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO PILOTS

    1  Aviation Weather Information Services (AWIS)
  2  Aviation Weather Briefing Service (AWBS)
  3  Flight Service Stations (FSS) and Flight Information Centres
  4  Pilot's Automatic Telephone Weather Answering Service (PATWAS)
  5  Aviation Weather Web Site (AWWS)
  6  Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)

AVIATION WEATHER REPORTS

•   1  Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) - decoding
  2  Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS)
  3  Pilot Reports (PIREP)

AVIATION FORECASTS

•   1  Times issued and period of coverage
•   2  Decoding
•   3  Graphical Area Forecast (GFA)
•   4  Terminal Area Forecast (TAF)
•   5  Upper Winds and Temperature Forecast (FD)
  6  Airman's Meteorological Advisory (AIRMET)
•   7  Significant In-flight Weather Warning Message (SIGMET)

WEATHER MAPS AND PROGNOSTIC CHARTS

    1  Times issued and period of coverage
  2  Symbols and decoding
  3  Surface weather map
  4  Upper air charts - weather Information to 700 mb Level
  5  Prognostic surface charts
Date modified:
2010-06-16