ATPL Meteorology study plan

Decode 20 complete METAR/SPECI reports without reference material, correctly interpreting wind, visibility, RVR, present weather, cloud groups, temperature/dewpoint and pressure groups

Convert 15 TAF bulletins into plain-language timelines distinguishing temporary, becoming and probability groups

Explain the purpose and validity rules of SIGMET, AIRMET, GAMET and AIREP, and state which phenomena trigger each

Identify the symbols and decoding rules for surface pressure charts and significant weather charts on 10 worked examples

Distinguish the four turbulence categories by cause and state the cloud, wind-shear and terrain conditions that favour each

Describe the thermodynamic and aerodynamic conditions that produce airframe icing, and list the temperature bands and cloud types associated with clear, rime and mixed icing

Sequence the life cycle of a thunderstorm and match each stage to its hazards, including downbursts, microbursts, hail, lightning and gust fronts

Explain the formation and detection of low-level wind shear, mountain waves and rotor zones, and the recovery technique for each

Classify volcanic ash, sandstorms and heavy precipitation as flight hazards and state the avoidance actions

Apply the pressure-gradient, Coriolis and friction forces to sketch surface and upper winds for given isobar patterns

Distinguish cyclones, anticyclones, ridges, cols and troughs and predict the wind, cloud and visibility each brings

Explain the formation of sea/land breezes, mountain/valley winds, anabatic/katabatic flows and Föhn effects

Interpret jet streams, their seasonal migration and the associated clear-air turbulence and tropopause folding

Calculate geostrophic and gradient wind corrections for curvature in three worked problems

Characterise the five main air-mass types by source region, temperature and moisture, and predict the weather each brings to the UK and Europe

Describe the vertical structure and passage sequence of warm, cold, occluded and stationary fronts, including pre- and post-frontal conditions

Explain frontogenesis and frontolysis and identify the upper-air features that drive them

Predict the timing and nature of weather changes at a station as a frontal system crosses, using a simple time-height sketch

Define DALR, SALR and ELR and determine absolute, conditional and potential instability for five worked soundings

Explain how stability governs cloud type, vertical extent and showery versus continuous precipitation

Classify the ten cloud genera and state the stability, moisture and lifting mechanism each implies

Distinguish radiation, advection, frontal, upslope and steam fog by formation mechanism and forecast each from temperature/dewpoint and wind data

Describe precipitation types and the conditions that produce freezing rain, snow grains and hail

Describe the composition and vertical layers of the atmosphere, and state the tropopause height variation with latitude and season

Apply the ISA to compute pressure, temperature and density at given levels, and calculate ISA deviation and its effect on altimeter readings

Explain the relationship between pressure, temperature, density and aircraft performance, and the errors arising from non-standard conditions

Interpret QNH, QFE, QNE and transition altitude/level rules in practical altimetry scenarios

Explain humidity measures (dewpoint, mixing ratio, relative humidity) and the processes of evaporation, condensation, sublimation and latent heat release

Describe the seasonal behaviour of the ITCZ, monsoon systems, trade winds and westerlies, and their effect on route planning

Interpret climatological charts and typical seasonal weather for the operator's route network

Apply meteorological data to fuel planning, alternates and ETOPS weather considerations

Complete two full-length timed mock exams under exam conditions and record the score for each domain

Re-teach the three weakest domains identified by the mock results using targeted review notes

Rehearse rapid interpretation of METAR, TAF, SIGMET and synoptic charts under time pressure

Consolidate a personal error log and confirm all domain scores are at or above the pass threshold