ATPL Meteorology (Sri Lanka CAA Pilot Licence Examinations) study guide
ATPL Meteorology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
ATPL Meteorology is one of the theoretical knowledge subjects a candidate must pass on the route to an Airline Transport Pilot Licence. It is aimed at professional pilot candidates - typically those who already hold, or are working towards, a commercial licence and are completing the ATPL ground examinations, often through an approved training organisation. The ATPL Meteorology study guide has 9 sections and about 3,248 words.
01The Atmosphere
The Atmosphere is the foundation domain: the exam tests the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA), the vertical structure of the atmosphere, and how temperature, pressure and density change with height - material you reuse in altimetry, stability and aircraft performance questions. Sea level: 15 °C, 1013.25 hPa, density 1.225 kg/m³.
348 words, about 2 min02Pressure, Density and Altimetry
Pressure, Density and Altimetry questions test the pressure settings (QNH, QFE, QNE), the transition between them, density altitude, and the errors that make an altimeter read falsely high or low. 1 hPa ≈ 27 ft near sea level (rule of thumb 30 ft); pressure halves roughly every 18,000 ft.
364 words, about 2 min03Temperature and Stability
Temperature and Stability is where the exam tests lapse rates and whether air will rise: absolute stability, conditional instability, absolute instability, and inversions. ELR: environmental, typically 2 °C/1000 ft in ISA.
342 words, about 2 min04Moisture, Clouds and Precipitation
Moisture, Clouds and Precipitation covers humidity measures, the dewpoint, cloud formation and classification, and the precipitation types the exam expects you to link to stability. Dewpoint (Td): the temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure to become saturated.
343 words, about 2 min05Air Masses, Fronts and Frontal Depressions
Air Masses, Fronts and Frontal Depressions is the synoptic-scale domain: source regions and air-mass classification, frontal types and slopes, and the life cycle of the polar-front depression. Classified by source region and surface: cA, cP, cT, mP, mT.
362 words, about 2 min06Wind
Wind questions test the balance of forces, the difference between geostrophic and surface wind, and the local wind systems that affect take-off, landing and terrain clearance. Pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, friction and, in curved flow, centripetal force.
363 words, about 2 min07Jet Streams and Upper Air
Jet Streams and Upper Air covers the location and structure of jet streams, the thermal wind relationship, and the link between upper-air patterns and surface weather. A narrow band of wind of at least 60 kt near the tropopause.
384 words, about 2 min08Weather Hazards (icing, turbulence, thunderstorms, visibility)
Weather Hazards tests the aircraft-relevant side of meteorology: icing, turbulence, thunderstorms and low visibility. Supercooled water is the key ingredient.
364 words, about 2 min09Meteorological Information, Reports and Forecasts
Meteorological Information, Reports and Forecasts tests decoding and using METAR, SPECI, TAF, trend forecasts, warnings and in-flight reports. Routine (METAR) and special (SPECI) reports give: wind in degrees true with speed and gusts, visibility, RVR where applicable, weather, cloud in oktas, temperature/dewpoint and QNH.
378 words, about 2 min