AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2018 - 86

P&E

WX WATCH

One study interviewed pilots who had
experienced a weather-related deviation,
flight assistance request, emergency
declaration, or incident. In 80 percent of cases
the weather hazards were detected, accurate,
and available for the areas and times of the
weather encounter.
Sample questions

A. The 11th of the month at 1200Z

1. In the METAR remarks for your
destination airport you notice the
comment "CB DSNT N MOV N."
Based on this information, which of
the following is true?

B. The 11th of the month at 1100Z

A. Cumulonimbus clouds are north
but within 5 nautical miles of the
airport and approaching the airport.

3. Why is it unsafe for a pilot to fly
through a gap between thunderstorms as shown on a real-time
cockpit display of ground-based
radar data?

B. Cumulonimbus clouds are less
than 10 statute miles north of the
airport and approaching the airport.
C. Cumulonimbus clouds are less
than 10 statute miles north of the
airport and moving away from the
airport.
D. Cumulonimbus clouds are more
than 10 statute miles north of the
airport and moving away from the
airport.
2. Referring to the below TAF, the
prevailing conditions starting on
the 11th of the month at 08Z are
considered valid until what time?
KPIA 101745Z 1018/1118 18016G25KT
6SM -RA BR SCT020 OVC040
TEMPO 1018/1021 2SM TSRA BR
BKN015CB
FM102100 20014G23KT 4SM -RA
BR SCT007 OVC015
TEMPO 1021/1024 1 1/2SM SHRA BR
BKN007
FM110100 23010KT 4SM -RA BR
SCT006 OVC012
FM110400 35006KT 6SM BR VCSH
SCT010 OVC020
FM110800 34003KT P6SM BKN050
TEMPO 1112/1115 BKN030

C. The 11th of the month at 1800Z
D. Unknown or unspecified

A. Ground-based radar data
cockpit displays are not capable of
accurately depicting strong thunderstorms
B. Ground-based radar cockpit
displays only show recent thunderstorm activity, not current storm
activity
C. Gaps in ground-based radar
echoes often indicate embedded
thunderstorms are occurring at
that location.
D. Gaps in ground-based radars
are indicative of beam attenuation
and possible IFR conditions within
the gap.
4. Given the infrared (color) satellite image on p. 83, the clouds
with highest vertical extent would
most likely be found at location:
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
ANSWERS:
1. D
2. C
3. B
4. C

A 2012 study interviewed pilots who
had experienced a weather-related deviation, flight assistance request, emergency
declaration, or incident. Results showed
that in 80 percent of cases, the weather
hazards were detected, accurate, and
available for the areas and times of the
weather encounter. And yet, pilots showed
a lack of appreciation for the weather. This
extended to a check of METARs for the
departure and destination airports, but not
for METARs at airports along the en route
segment of flight.
Missing a few questions on a knowledge
test is somewhat benign compared to dangerous in-flight decision making. But both
suggest a bigger problem: a lack of curiosity.
But how can this be, when any pilot knows
the dangers of an adverse weather encounter? Is it the fault of educators and flight
instructors? Maybe, if they're bad teachers-or themselves don't know the subject
matter. Or is it ingrained in some pilots'
psyches? Pilots, after all, tend to be optimistic, confident, disciplined, linear thinkers
with strong wills, observant to rules and
with faith in procedures. Flying is often an
easy repetition of routine tasks-we hope!-
and if problems crop up, checklists and
procedures help us deal with them.
Weather respects little of this. It
works in mysterious ways, often defies
predictions, and obeys arcane thermodynamic laws. Even meteorologists can't
fully explain how weather works, since
each variable interacts with others in
unknown ways. After all, chaos theory
sprang from efforts to better understand
how weather works.
This clash of characteristics may make
it hard for some pilots to cozy up to a better understanding of weather, and how to
deal with it. It's reasonable to assume that
a deeper (yet non-boring!) study of weather
and weather products would also help, as
would more experience flying in various
types of challenging weather. Anything to
help turn diffidence into confidence tempered by good judgment.
AOPA
EMAIL tom.horne@aopa.org

86 | AOPA PILOT September 2018

AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2018

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