Having highlighted all the essential components of weather
to look out for in Part-1 of this series, Here is my effort in the direction of coming up with a
challenge/response type of checklist.
Since VFR/IFR are two options for flight, it’s the first
item Pilots need to ascertain.
Challenge: VFR/IFR flight?
PilotFlying(PF) Response: VFR
PilotMonitoring(PM) Response: VFR
Visibility must next be checked out.
Challenge: Visibility greater than 5000m?
PF Response: 6000m
PM Response: 6000m
Wind direction and speed should be got hold of. Cross wind component
must be calculated beforehand so that we can determine whether it’s within
aircrafts permissible limits.
Challenge: Wind Speed and direction within permissible limits
for flight?
PF Response: 280 Mag/7 Kts - permissible
PM Response: 280 Mag/7 Kts -permissible
Temperatures then should be found out. Cloudbase height calculated to
check if it’s acceptable.
Challenge: Temparature and Dewpoint, cloudbase height
acceptable limits for flight?
PF Response: 24 deg C temp/12 deg C dewpoint ; cloudbase -
4800ft - acceptable
PM Response: 24 deg C temp/12 deg C dewpoint; cloudbase - 4800ft -
acceptable
Pressure then should be obtained.
Challenge: Pressure to be set in altimeter obtained for
flight? Qfe/Qne/Qnh
PF Response: 1008 Qnh ; Flying altitudes
PM Response: 1008 Qnh ; Flying altitudes
Clouds then need to be identified. Presence of serious clouds like CB/TCU, Cloud layers should not add up more than half the sky
Challenge: Clouds checked and Clouds coverage more than half
the sky?
PF Response: No CB/TCU, less than half the sky
PM Response: No CB/TCU, less than half the sky
TAF carefully accessed for the entire duration of flight
with buffers if returning back to same Aerodrome else all aerodromes - departure,
destination and alternate checked for potential problems.
Challenge: Weather acceptable for entire journey including
destination and alternates?
PF Response: Departure, Destination and Alternate Weather
acceptable for landing.
PM Response: Departure, Destination and Alternate Weather acceptable
for landing.
Satellite images have been carefully gone over to check for
any anticipated weathers approaching from the furthest point. Here, unlike high
end commercial aircrafts which boast of weather radars, one must carefully go
over them before hand to be mentally prepared. Pilots must exchange the same weather images.
Challenge: Satellite Weather image verified and risks manageable?
PF Response: Image:X,Y checked - manageable.
PM Response: Image:X,Y checked - manageable.
The above could be good checks, one could perform pre-flight
and go ahead with flights. The same is presented below in table format.
Challenge
|
PF Response
|
PM Response
|
VFR/IFR
flight?
|
VFR/IFR
|
VFR/IFR
|
Visibility
greater than 5000m?
|
xxxx mts
|
xxxx mts
|
Wind Speed
and direction within permissible limits for flight?
|
xxx Mag/y
Kts - permissible
|
xxx Mag/y
Kts - permissible
|
Temparature
and Dewpoint, cloudbase height acceptable limits for flight?
|
xx deg C
temp/yy deg C dewpoint ; cloudbase - zzzzft – acceptable
|
xx deg C
temp/yy deg C dewpoint ; cloudbase - zzzzft - acceptable
|
Pressure
to be set in altimeter obtained for flight? Qfe/Qne/Qnh
|
xxxx Qnh/Qfe/Qnh
; Flying altitudes/heights/FlightLevels
|
xxxx
Qnh/Qfe/Qnh ; Flying altitudes/heights/FlightLevels
|
Clouds
checked and Clouds coverage more than half the sky?
|
No CB/TCU,
less than half the sky
|
No CB/TCU,
less than half the sky
|
Weather
acceptable for entire journey including destination and alternates?
|
Departure,
Destination and Alternate Weather acceptable for landing.
|
Departure,
Destination and Alternate Weather acceptable for landing.
|
Satellite
Weather image verified and risks manageable?
|
Image:X,Y
checked - manageable.
|
Image:X,Y
checked - manageable.
|
Notes:
1. Pilot Monitoring responses in case of Solo flights could
be an instructor or fellow pilot buddy.
2. Feel free to correct any inconsistencies/add more
information to the above.
3. One of the feedback I received for Part 1 of this series
blog was to include the sources of Weather I normally gather from. Below are my
usual ones:
Mobile/Tablet apps:
·
Aviation Tools Free (aviatools.blogspot.com)
·
StationWX Lite (stationweather.com)
Both the above apps give METAR and TAF for a whole lot of
locations.
·
Weather Underground(wunderground.com) - this app
gives satellite images of weather.
During my flight training days, we used to collect ARFOR for
cross country flights, obtained from:
·
olbs.amsschennai.gov.in - a met watch office
portal of India Meteorology Department(imd.gov.in) for aviation. Also has METAR,TAF, Satellite images and a host of other weather related stuff.
