DGCA CPL Aviation Meteorology study guide
DGCA CPL Aviation Meteorology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The DGCA CPL Aviation Meteorology paper is one of the technical knowledge examinations that a candidate must clear as part of the Commercial Pilot Licence process in India. It is written for aspiring commercial pilots who are working through the ground-subject syllabus before or alongside their flying training at an approved flying training organisation. The DGCA CPL Aviation Meteorology study guide has 8 sections and about 1,993 words.
01The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, Temperature and Pressure
The atmosphere is a mechanical mixture of gases: about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and roughly 1% argon plus trace gases. Water vapour is highly variable (0–4% by volume) and is the key gas for weather because it supplies latent heat and cloud.
293 words, about 1 min02Pressure, Altimetry and the Standard Atmosphere
An altimeter is a barometer calibrated to the ISA. It measures pressure and displays a height assuming standard pressure and temperature.
285 words, about 1 min03Temperature, Humidity, Stability and Lapse Rates
DALR (dry adiabatic): 3 °C/1000 ft (~9.8 °C/km) for unsaturated rising air. SALR (saturated adiabatic): ~1.5 °C/1000 ft, less because latent heat is released.
254 words, about 1 min04Clouds and Precipitation
Clouds are grouped by height: high (cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus - ice), middle (altostratus, altocumulus - mixed), low (stratus, stratocumulus, nimbostratus - water), and vertical (cumulus, cumulonimbus - extend through levels). Cloud forms when air cools to its dew point by lifting, radiative cooling, or mixing.
205 words, about 1 min05Winds: Global, Local and Upper-Air
Unequal heating drives the Hadley, Ferrel and Polar cells . The Coriolis force deflects winds (right in the Northern Hemisphere).
224 words, about 1 min06Air Masses, Fronts and Frontal Weather
An air mass takes on the character of its source region: cP (continental polar - cold dry), mP (maritime polar - cold moist), mT (maritime tropical - warm moist), cT (continental tropical - hot dry). Classification also uses stability (stable/unstable).
242 words, about 1 min07Weather Hazards: Thunderstorms, Icing, Turbulence, Visibility
Requirements: moisture, instability, lifting. Life cycle: cumulus → mature → dissipating .
262 words, about 1 min08Meteorological Observations, Reports, Forecasts and Charts
METAR : routine aerodrome report (wind, visibility, cloud, temp/dew point, QNH). SPECI : special report on significant change.
228 words, about 1 min