PPL

air mass

a huge body of air with similar temperature and moisture content

front

boundary between 2 air masses with different temperatures

squall line

created by pressure wave in advance of a fast-moving cold front

squall lines can create thunderstorms up to

200 miles before front (often more severe than along front)

standard atm

15°C, 29.92inHg

is there turbulence in stable air?

no

what clouds form in stable air?

stratus clouds with smooth tops (air cannot rise)

what precipitation is in stable air?

steady

what is the visibility in stable air?

reduced (condensation/fog)

is there turbulence in unstable air?

yes

what clouds form in unstable air?

cumuliform clouds (air can rise)

what precipitation is in unstable air?

showery

what is the visibility in unstable air?

good (except in showers)

lapse rate

the rate of decrease of air temperature with altitude (determines atmosphere stability)

standard lapse rate

2°C per 1000 ft

air mass is stable if lapse rate is ____ than standard

less

air mass is unstable if lapse rate is ____ than standard

greater

thunderstorms are created when

air is forced to rise in unstable air and has water vapor

radiation fog

shallow fog with clear skies above

radiation fog develops when

air near ground cools (wind above inversion can be stronger)

advection fog typically forms

in winter on coast when warm air flows over cooler land (requires wind)

upslope fog develops

as stable air is forced up a slope and expands and cools (requires wind)

precipitation-induced fog occurs

when warm rain falls through cooler air

steam fog forms

as cold air flows over warmer water (requires light wind)

thunderstorm clouds

cumulonimbus

to form, thunderstorms require

a lifting force, unstable air, high humidity

cumulus stage of thunderstorm

(1) vertical cloud build-up with strong updrafts

mature stage of thunderstorm

(2) downdrafts (precipitation, gusts, temperature drops, pressure increases) and updrafts (vertical wind shears) *most dangerous

dissipating stage of thunderstorm

(3) downdrafts (dangerous: hail, turbulence)

air mass thunderstorms

20-90 min; isolated storms caused by surface heating

frontal thunderstorms

long; associated with fronts, converging winds, and troughs aloft; may generate squall lines

squall line thunderstorms

long; most hazardous (tornadoes, hail, heavy rain, strong wind, etc.)s

shelf cloud

rain-cooled air moves ahead of storm (identify & avoid storms)

wind shear

a sudden change in wind direction or speed over a short distance/period

microburst

small-scale intense downdraft

microbursts are found

anywhere there is convective activity

microbursts spread horizontal winds as far as

2.5 miles in diameter at 45 kts

sign of a microburst on takeoff

shift from increasing headwind to tailwinds

sign of a microburst in air

updraft (increase power & go around)

sign of microburst on landing

shift from increasing headwind to tailwind; updraft followed by decrease in airspeed and rapid descent (increase power & go around)

hot air/convective turbulence

surface is heated = air rises; base of clouds is top of turbulence

mountain wave

air going over ridge creates lenticular clouds on downdraft side and turbulence below them

frost reduces

lift

frost increases

stall speed

frost can prevent

aircraft from becoming airborne at takeoff speed

ice pellets on the ground means

freezing rain at higher altitudes

icing reduces

lifti

icing increases

stall speed & drag

icing changes

the shape of the wing

high density altitude _____ aircraft performance

reduces

3 H’s of bad aircraft performance

high, hot, humid

KUMP AWOS

119.375

scud running

when a pilot pushes her capabilities and the aircraft’s limits by trying to maintain ground visibility in low visibility and ceiling

somatogravic illusion

false senses of pitch change (takeoff)

steady precipitation preceding a front is a sign of

stratiform clouds with little to no turbulence

7500

hijack

7600

radio failure

7700

emergency

acknowledge light gun signals (day)

rock wings

acknowledge light gun signals (night)

flash landing light

flashing white

return to starting point on airport

steady green

cleared for takeoff/land

flashing green

cleared to taxi/return for landing

steady red

stop/give way and continue circling

flashing red

clear runway/do not land

alternating red and green

general caution

BasicMed operating limits

cannot fly for hire, fly with more than 7 seats or 12500 lb

load factor

ratio of increased total lift to aircraft’s weight

load factor increases with

bank, turbulence, pulling out of a dive

an increase in load factor causes

increase in stall speed

airplane tends left when

flying slow with a high power setting

p-factor

propeller factor/asymmetrical thrust caused by one side of prop producing more thrust than the other

dashed magenta line

Class E to the surface

dashed blue line

Class D up to 2500 AGL

solid magenta line

Class C up to 5200 ft AGL (5nm radius)

solid blue line

Class B

fuzzy side of magenta gradient

Class E from 700 ft AGL to 10000 ft MSL, Class G below

solid side of magenta gradient

Class E from 1200 ft AGL to 10000 ft MSL, Class G below

fuzzy side of blue gradient

Class E from 1200 ft AGL to 10000 ft MSL, Class G below

solid side of blue gradient

Class G to 14500 ft MSL

blue box

prohibited/restricted/warning (invisible hazards)

magenta box

military/alert (high volume of training or unusual aerial activity)

dotted blue area

conservation area (don’t fly less than 3000 AGL)

Class G Day 1200 ft AGL or less

clear of clouds, 1 SM visibility

Class G Day 1200 ft AGL to 10000 ft MSL

500 ft below, 1000 ft above, 2000 ft horizontal, 1 SM visibility

Class C/D/E Day & Night + Class G Night surface to 10000 ft MSL

500 ft below, 1000 ft above, 2000 ft horizontal, 3 SM visibility

Class G & E Day & Night above 10000 MSL

1000 ft below, 1000 ft above, 1 SM horizontal, 5 SM visibility