Aeronautical Meteorology and Aviation Weather Hazards
Core concepts
Understand the hazards affecting aviation: thunderstorms, icing, turbulence, wind shear, microbursts, low-level wind shear, volcanic ash, sandstorms, and clear-air turbulence. Study the formation of aircraft icing (supercooled water, temperature range 0 to −20 °C), the types of icing (rime, clear, mixed), and the effects on lift and drag. Learn about wake turbulence categories, the effect of density altitude on performance, and the impact of altimeter settings. Know the structure of the ITCZ, tropical cyclones, and the jet stream as they affect routes.
Traps
Icing is not restricted to freezing temperatures at the surface; supercooled droplets can exist well below 0 °C. Distinguish wind shear from microburst. Questions often confuse QNH, QFE, and QNE. Do not assume that CB tops are always below the tropopause.
Worked example
An aircraft at FL350 encounters a temperature of −50 °C with no visible moisture; icing is unlikely because supercooled water is scarce at that temperature, but clear-air turbulence near the jet stream is possible. Conversely, at 8000 ft with −5 °C and visible moisture, severe clear icing may occur.