coptr stage 2 - edited

ceiling definition

lowest broken, overcastg, or obscured (BKN/OVC/VV) layer of clouds

flight vs ground vs prevailing visibility

flight visibility = forward horizontal distance a pilot can see

ground visibility = prevailing horizontal distance near earth's surface

prevailing visibility = measurement of greatest distance visible thru at least half of horizon (in SM or RVR)

Class A VFR fly-through weather minimums

N/A (IFR only)

Class B VFR fly-through weather minimums

3-COC

• 3 SM visibility

• clear of clouds

Class C, D, E<10,000 MSL, Night G between 1200 AGL and 10,000 MSL

VFR fly-through weather minimums

3-1-2-5

• 3 SM visibility

• clouds clear: 1000' above, 2000' lateral, 500' below

What airspaces have:

3-1-2-5

• 3 SM visibility

• clouds clear: 1000' above, 2000' lateral, 500' below

• C

• D

• E<10,000 MSL

• Night G between 1200 AGL and 10,000 MSL

Class E>10,000’ MSL & G>10,000’ MSL

5-1-1SM-1

• 5 SM vis

• 1000' above + below, 1 SM lateral

Day Class G 1200' AGL-10000'MSL weather minimums

1-1-2-5

• 1 SM

• 1000' above, 2000' lateral, 500' below

Class G < 1200’ AGL

DAY - ½ SM, clear of clouds

NIGHT - 1SM, clear of clouds

special VFR

• ATC clearance required in airspace when weather is < VFR minimum

• grants 1 SM and clear of clouds

Mode C Requirements

• Class A,B,C

• Above Class B+C within lateral limits

• Within 30 NM of Class B

• ADIZ

• Above 10,000'MSL

Class A dimensions

18000' MSL - FL600

Class B dimensions

surface - 10000'MSL

*individually tailored upside down wedding cake

Class C dimensions

inner 5NM radius: SFC - 4,000' AGL

outer 10NM radius: 1200 - 4,000' AGL

Class D dimensions

SFC - 2500' AGL

individually tailored; typically, 4-5 NM radius

Class E dimensions

• can either start at:

  • surface

  • 700' AGL

  • 1200' AGL

  • as depicted on zipper

• goes up to 17999' MSL

• above FL600

VFR T/O, LDG, TP requirements for B, C, D, E

1000’ ceiling and 3 SM ground vis

Class G dimensions

• can go up to 14,500'MSL

• typically surface to 700 or 1200' AGL

requirements to enter Class A

• 2 way radio

• Mode C transponder

• IFR rating and aircraft

• ATC clearance

• ADSB Out

requirements to enter Class B

• 2 way radio

• Mode C transponder

• VOR (IFR)

• Private Cert or Student Pilot Endorsement

• "Cleared to enter Class B, tail #" from ATC

• ADSB Out

requirements to enter Class C

• 2 way radio

• Mode C transponder

• ATC clearance stating tail #

• ADSB Out

requirements to enter Class D

• 2 way radio

• ATC clearance stating tail #

requirements to enter Class E

• none other than:

  • ADSB Out when >10000'MSL (excluding <2500' AGL)

requirements to enter Class G

none

chart depiction Class A + def

none

A/s that spans across the entire United States and its coastal waters (up to 12 nautical miles off the coast).

chart depiction Class B + def

solid blue line

A/s surrounding the nation’s busiest airports in terms of IFR ops or passenger enplanements

chart depiction Class C + def

solid magenta line

A/s surrounding airports w/ operational control tower & certain # of IFR/passenger enplanements (less busy than class B airports)

chart depiction Class D + def

dashed blue line

Airspace from SFC to 2500’ AGL w/ operational control towers

chart depiction Class E + def

• depiction

  • from surface: dashed magenta

  • from 700' AGL: shaded magenta

  • from 1200' AGL: shaded blue or nothing

• Def

  • controlled A/sp that is not A, B, C, D

chart depiction Class G + def

none

uncontrolled airspace that has not been designated class A, B, C, D, or E

using agency vs controlling agency

using agency - org/military/person that warrants the reason for special airspace

controlling agency - FAA agency that authorizes flight thru special airspace

Draw the VFR wx mins triangle

prohibited area

blue comb

flight is PROHIBITED for security or sensitive reason

restricted area

blue comb

has active/inactive status of often invisible hazards. must get permission from using or controlling agency to enter.

warning area

blue comb

3 NM off US coastline

military ops area

magenta comb

separates IFR and military traffic

VFR should contact within 100NM

alert area

magenta comb

high volume of pilot training or other activity

controlled firing area

area where munitions are tested and pose hazard to nonparticipating aircraft

not depicted on sectionals

national security area

dashed magenta line

increased security area; pilots must avoid

special use airspace types (WARM PNC)

warning area

alert area

restricted area

military ops area

prohibited area

national security area

controlled firing area

other use airspace types (SWAMPPTT)

AIM 3-5-1

special air traffic rules area (SATR)

weather reconnaissance area

airport advisory area

military training route

parachute jump areas

published VFR routes

terminal radar service area

temporary flight restriction

airport advisory area

-other use area extending 10SM from airports with FSS but no operating control tower; in alaska "LAA"

-RAIS = remote airport information service from FSS for temporary events, published in NOTAM D

military training route

-other use area for military low level combat training

-usually below 10000'MSL and >250kts

-VR for VFR, IR for IFR, 4 label has no segment >1500'AGL, 3 label has segment >1500'AGL

temporary flight restriction

-other use area where FAA prohibits flight temporarily

parachute jump areas

-other use area where parachute operations are

-when in area, listen to tower/CTAF and scan constantly

published vfr routes

-routes for transiting through/under/around class B or complex airspace

-3 types: VFR flyways, VFR corridors, transition routes

vfr flyways

-published vfr route that doesn't require clearance

-depicted on reverse side of TAC usually with blue line

transition routes

published vfr route that requires clearance, has specific alt and headings labeled on TAC

vfr corridor

-published vfr route that's basically a tunnel of Echo through Bravo

-doesn't require clearance

-has CTAF frequency

terminal radar service area

-other use airspace where pilots can voluntarily participate to get additional radar services

-basically Delta airport with Charlie services separating IFR, VFR

-depicted with solid gray line

special air traffic rules area

other use airspace with extra rules from 14 CFR Part 93

weather reconnaissance area

-other use airspace for weather research published by NOTAM

-only research aircraft allowed

-no ATC services

ADIZ

air defense identification zone

area of airspace over land or water requiring ID, location, and control of aircraft for security interests

must have transponder, 2 way radio, and flight plan

what is required to enter ADIZ

transponder, 2 way radio, and flight plan (DVFR or IFR)

wildiife area min altitude

2000' AGL

landing prohibited unless emergency or special permission

all weather is the result of ?

uneven heating/cooling of the earth's surface

composition of the atmosphere

78% N2, 21% O2, 1% argon, CO2, water vapor between 0-5%

layers of the atmosphere

troposphere

tropopause

stratosphere

mesosphere

thermosphere

troposphere dimensions

over poles: sea level to 20000'

over equator: sea level to 48000'

which layer of the atmosphere contains most weather, clouds, temp changes?

troposphere

standard lapse rates in troposphere

-2*C per 1000'

-1"Hg per 1000'

where is the jet stream and clear air turbulence often located

tropopause

tropopause

-boundary of troposphere, trapping moisture and weather inside

-abrupt temp change

-altitude varies with latitude and season

stratosphere dimensions + weather

-from tropopause to ~160000'

-barely weather and turbulence, may have ice clouds

-temp increases with height

convection

-cycle of cold denser air sinking and warm air rising, cooling, and then sinking back down

-results from uneven heating of air by contrasting surface temps

pressure gradients

-force created by pressure differences driving wind

-flows high to low

-closer pressure/isobars = stronger gradient; farther pressure/isobars = weaker gradient

isobars

lines of constant pressure

how does wind behave from Coriolis and pressure gradient forces?

the rotation of Earth creates Coriolis, deflecting air to right in N hemisphere and to the left in S hemisphere

pressure gradient flows perpendicular to isobars and balances Coriolis, which deflects wind 90*

how does friction change the wind, Coriolis force, and pressure gradient?

friction weakens Coriolis force, slows and deflects wind ~15-30*, and has no effect on pressure gradient force

what are the 3 wind cell circulation patterns created by Coriolis?

Hadley - rises at equator, flows away, sinks at Ferrel border, and back to equator

Ferrel - sinks at Hadley border, flows towards poles, rises at Polar border, flows back towards Hadley

Polar - sinks at pole, flows away, rises at Ferrel border, flows back

high pressure air flow and characteristics

flows CW and down

generally dry, stable

low pressure air flow and characteristics

flows CCW and up

generally unstable, bringing clouds/rain

cause of convective currents

caused by heat radiating off different surface types (updrafts over pavement/barren and downdrafts over water/vegetation)

where are convective currents commonly experienced

when flying lower altitudes during warmer weather

(avoid by flying higher altitudes)

sea breeze

during day, land is warmer than sea, so colder air over water sinks and flows inland to replace the warmer air rising

land breeze

during night, land is cooler than sea, so cold air over land sinks and flows out to sea to replace the warmer air rising

valley breeze

during day, mountain slopes are warmer and the air rises cools, and sinks in the valley before circling back up the slope to replace the warmer air

mountain breeze

during night, mountain slopes are cooler and the air sinks until it hits the inner warmer valley and rises back up

water vapor vs relative humidity

water vapor = amount of moisture in the air

relative humidity = % of water vapor in the air compared to the max amount of water vapor it can hold

what is the air called when it is 100% relative humidity

saturated

how does temperature affect capacity of relative humidity?

higher temps = higher capacity

lower temps = lower capacity

(so the air can hold more water the warmer it is)

dew point

the temp at which the air must be cooled to become 100% saturated by the water vapor present in the air (when condensation begins)

temp dew point spread

difference between temp and dew point

(lower spread = higher humidity)

latent heat

the energy absorbed or released during a change in state

adiabatic

no heat removed or added to air during temp change

adiabatic heating

process of heating air by compression

adiabatic cooling

process of cooling air thru expansion

lapse rate for saturated vs unsaturated air

saturated air has slower lapse rate (1.1-2.8C / 1000') than unsaturated air (3C / 1000')

condensation occurs when _______

saturated air moves upward

3 requirements for clouds to form

1. water

2. lifting action/cooling mechanism

3. condensation nuclei

how do clouds form?

air rises, expands, cools adiabatically in upward motion

reaches dew point and becomes saturated = water vapor becomes visible

atmosphere stability definition

air’s ability to resist vertical motion

cool, dry air is ____ stable and ____ veritical movement. Warm moist air is very ____.

• very

• resists

• unstable

how do inversions affect atmospheric stability and how does it occur?

• inversion = when temp increases with altitude

• it acts like a lid holding in weather + pollutants

  • this can decrease visibility

  • this can also limit vertical development of clouds = more stable atmosphere

• this can happen at surface if the ground cools the air from below

stable atmosphere characteristics

• flight: smooth

• surface vis: poor

  • smoke/haze trapped

• clouds: stratiform (sheet-like)

• precipitation: steady

• temperature inversions = stable air

  • air closer to ground is cooler than higher air

unstable atmosphere

• flight: turbulent

• surface vis: excellent

• clouds: cumuliform (heaping)

• precipitation: showery / thunderstorms possible

• regular temp lapse rate

  • air closer to ground is warmer than higher air

nimbus =

rain

cumulus =

heaped

stratus =

sheet like / layer

alto =

middle