Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

Contents
1. Relate Meteorological Information Available in
Aviation:
o Weather Reports
o Charts
o Forecasts
o CFP
o Snowtams & Ashtams

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Meteorological Information Available in Aviation
Weather Reports
These are prepared at routine intervals and available for aviation
purposes every hour or half hour. Selected or special reports are
made when certain phenomena occur between the times of the
routine reports.
2 examples are: Actual meteorological aerodrome weather reports
(METARs) and Special Reports (SPECIs)
METAR stands for METeorological Aerodrome Report. METARs contain
coded messages pertaining to the actual weather conditions at a given
aerodrome, at a stated time.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Below is an extracted sample of typical METARs for UK aerodromes:

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Whereas a SPECI is issued when the weather conditions significantly
changes in the period between observations.
To issue a SPECI there must be improvements or deteriorations
through certain weather criteria. These would then supplement the
routine reports.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 TRENDS/ TREND TYPE FORECAST (TTF) may also be issued for selected
aerodromes if significant changes occur during the two hours after
the observation time. Runway state codes are included into METARs
when applicable. For example ATIS for Wellington International Airport,
New Zealand on the 25th Aug 2008

WELLINGTON (NZWN) ATIS NZWN L 0130 APCH: ILS/DME RWY: 16SFC COND:
DRY
WND: 190/06 VIS: 5KM RED 1000 WX: FG CLD: FEW001 BKN002
TT: 12DP: 12QNH: 10022000 FT: R150/16TAF TAF NZWN 242236Z 250024
17005KT 20KM FEW006 BKN010 TEMPO 0022 6000 RA BKN006 BECMG 0608
18015G30KT BECMG 2022 19025G35KT SCT010 BKN016TEMPO 2224 6000 RA
BKN010METAR SPECI NZWN 250130Z 20010KT 0800 FG FEW001 BKN002
12/11 Q1002 TEMPO10KM NSW FEW002 BKN006 RMK KAUKAU 17016KT

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Weather Charts
Analysed MSL synoptic charts shows the surface weather over a
specified area.
Prognostic MSL synoptic charts aim to show the expected synoptic
situation some hours later, usually 12 or 24 hours ahead. Similarly,
current and prognostic charts are available for various pressure
levels.
In the briefing room you should find charts covering low and
medium flight over the UK and NW Europe, medium and high level
flights to Europe and the Mediterranean, high level flights to North
America, high level flights to the Middle and Far East and high level
flights to Africa of super cooled water droplets.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Weather Forecasts

These are prepared for use by aircrew, air traffic services units, aircraft
in flight as required for flying operations.

Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF)

The most widely used example is the Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts
(TAF). TAFs are forecasts of meteorological conditions at an
aerodrome, as opposed to actual , present conditions as given in
METAR. Usually cover a period of between 9 and 24 hours. 9-hour
TAFs are issued every 3 hours, while 12 and 24-hour TAFs every 6
hours.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Warnings/ SIGMET
Warning information of any hazardous weather phenomena is
prepared when necessary and issued to listed recipients. An example
is a significant weather (SIGMETs) phenomenon. This refers to
information regarding the occurrence or expected occurrence, in an
area over which a meteorological watch is being maintained of a
number of phenomena considered dangerous within an FIR.

Air-Reports (AIREP)/ Pilot Reports (PIREP)

Aircrew are required to make observations while an aircraft is in flight.
Routine and special aircraft observations are recorded on the AIREP
forms while PIREPs may be made verbally through radio
communications eg. for windshear/ wind gust, air turbulence.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Supply of Information
The supply and exchange of operational meteorological information needed
by met. offices, VOLMET broadcast stations, air traffic services units and
operators is done through the MOTNE (Meteorological Operational
Telecommunication Network) system.

1. Meteorological briefing
This information must cover the departure, en-route diversion,
alternate, and destination aerodromes as indicated in
the flight plan. The standard method is by self-briefing using the material
displayed in briefing rooms which includes reports and forecasts in
message or chart format.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 AIRMET - is another form of self-briefing intended for use by pilots who
do not have access to meteorological by fax or teleprinter.

It is a general aviation weather briefing consisting of ten routine

forecasts, in plain language, covering the UK and near Continent spoken
at dictation speed over the public telephone network. Or in text form via
the AFS, telex or facsimile.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 2. In flight
Information may be gained by the interception of radio broadcasts from
aerodromes.

a. VOLMETS.
These are radio messages of weather reports and forecasts which are
broadcasted on HF and VHF at regular intervals, based upon the oral
commentary of a METAR or TAF.
b. ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service)
c. ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing & Reporting System)
This is a means of sending and receiving company messages between
company operations offices and the aircraft, which can be used to
provide a printed copy of TAFs & METARs.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Information can also be gained from relevant ATC Centres, either by
request or by an issue of a warning to relevant aircraft.

One such system is the Low Level Windshear (LLWS). There are
detection devices in use which enable a broadcast warning to be given.

Much work has been done in the US to detect and warn of the approach
of windshear using Doppler Radar or patterns of wind vanes and
anemometers linked to a central computer.

ATC are thus able to give warning of wind shear on the approach and/
or climb out paths.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 Computer Flight Plans (CFP)
There are several different computer flight plans available, but the
information below relates to the one used by British Airways.
Meteorological information is obtained from the World Area Forecast
Centre (WAFC) at Bracknell. The centre provides global temperature and
wind velocity forecasts in a grid binary (GRIB) format fed twice daily for
eight altitude levels based on 6 hour blocks within a 30 hour forecast span.
The forecasts are based on actual observations taken at 0000Z and 1200Z.
Each transmission contains four forecasts based on the observation time:
T + 12, T + 18, T + 24 and T + 30.
For example: the morning transmission received at about 0430Z contains
forecasts for 1200, 1800, 0000 and 0600 the next day.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 SNOWTAMs & ASHTAMs
. SNOWTAM warnings while not strictly Meteorology Warnings will often
appear in briefing rooms associated with the Met' of the day as prevailing
conditions dictate.
An outline of what the warnings contain is indicated below:
• The nature of the contamination to be cleared and this subjectively
assessed by ATC personnel: ice/ snow/ slush/ standing water
• Depth of snow
• Snow banks
• Runways affected by snow and ice
• Assessment of braking action

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 ASHTAM
The ASHTAM provides information on the status of activity of a
volcano when a change in its activity is, or is expected to be of
operational significance.
In the event of a volcanic eruption providing ash cloud of operational
significance, the ASHTAM also provides information on the location,
extent and movement of the ash cloud and the air routes and flight
levels affected.

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts

 References

1. Oxford Aviation Training: Meteorology

2. Meteorology For Professional Pilots

Visibility, Icing, Documentation & Weather Charts