Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Introduction

Schedule

Topic:

Time:

Attention/Motivator:

0:05

Part 1, Lesson Introduction:

0:05

Part 2, Atmospheric Conditions:

0:20

Part 3, Weather Products:

1:15

Part 4, Weather Information Guided Scenario(s):

0:20

Part 5, Lesson Conclusion:

0:05

Remotivation/Closure:

0:05

Total Ground Time:

0:00
Attention Getter:
- Research and present a mishap case study:
- Discuss how the initial conditions developed into an incident/accident/mishap
- Relate similar personal experiences of the same type of incident/accident/mishap
- Consider incorporating a case study as a guided scenario
Motivator:
- Regardless of your experience level, weather is likely to be a key factor in your decision-making process
- A pilot's ability to find and interpret weather is essential to make well-informed decisions
  - Failure to recognize deteriorating weather conditions leads to a exceptionally high mishap and associated lethality rate
- Weather service to aviation is a joint effort between federal agencies, the military weather services, and other aviation-oriented groups and individuals
- The National Weather Service operates a network of radar sites for detecting coverage, intensity, and movement of precipitation
  - FAA and DOD radar sites in the western sections of the country supplement the network
  - Local warning radar sites augment the network by operating on an as-needed basis to support warning and forecast programs

Materials

Required Materials:
- Writing instrument (pen, marker, etc.).
- Writing surface (paper, whiteboard, etc.).
- Internet connection (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.).
- Phone (for preflight briefing).
- Personal Weather Minimums Worksheet.
- Airman Certification Standards.
- Student jacket.
Optional Materials:
- Pilot Operating Handbook, Electronic Flight Bag
- Instructor endorsement log.
Reference Materials:

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Instructor Actions

Before the lesson, review reference materials.
Part 1, Lesson Introduction:
- Review the lesson plan, including the attention and motivator.
- Review the airman certification standards.
Part 2, Atmospheric Conditions:
- Baseline the discussion with a discussion of:
  - Weather and atmosphere.
  - Mountain wave.
  - Discuss air mass and weather front formation and expected conditions
  - Clouds:
    - Introduce cloud base calculations.
  - Introduce Turbulence.
    - Discuss types of turbulence.
  - Thunderstorms.
  - Microbursts.
  - Icing/frost.
  - Fog/mist.
  - Obstructions to visibility.
Part 3, Weather Products:
- Review weather types of weather products (observations, analysis, and forecasts.
- Review Sources of Weather Data.
- Retrieve (3) METAR/SPECI reports from different regions and walk through each element (save for guided scenario)
- Retrieve (3) Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts from different regions and walk through each element (save for guided scenario)
- Discuss how the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) tool ties everything together
- Retrieve the Surface Analysis Chart most appropriate and discuss the graphic, how to interpret each station, and observation/validity times associated
- Retrieve a Winds and Temperatures Aloft forecast and pick (3) stations along a route of flight
- Retrieve the Convective Outlook most appropriate and discuss the graphic, how to interpret, and forecast/validity times associated
- Retrieve (3) AIRMETs/SIGMETs from different regions (if possible) and walk through each AIRMET/SIGMET (save for guided scenario)
- Retrieve (3) PIREPs from different regions (if possible) and walk through each PIREP (save for guided scenario)
- Discuss what weather resources are available on the ground vs. inflight
Part 4, Weather Information Guided Scenario
- Lead a guided scenario.
- Complete a personal weather minimums worksheet.
- Conduct a self-briefing:
  - Call flight service and request a briefing for a cross-country flight, real or for practice
  - Discuss advantages and disadvantages of each product
- Review weather equipment capabilities of avionics installed on aircraft, and common equipment across general aviation
Part 5, Lesson Conclusion:
- Tie lesson back to previous lessons to reinforce past experiences (law of readiness).
- Present the remotivation, conclude, and provide guidance for follow-on lessons.
- Review student actions required ahead of the next lesson.
Update instructor endorsement records and the student's jacket, as required.

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Guided Scenario(s)

In the climb on a cold day, a pilot enters the clouds and simultaneously notices the outside air temperature is 10°c
- How can the pilot check the outside air temperature?
- If in meteorological conditions, is icing a hazard?
With the previous METAR/SPECI reports:
- What does the wind information tell us (tie to airport diagrams, takeoff performance, etc.)?
- What does the visibility tell us?
- What does the present weather tell us?
- What does the sky condition tell us?
- What does the temperature/dewpoint tell us (tie to density altitude, hazards, etc.)?
- What do the remarks tell us?
ATC provides a PIREP to a pilot about to enter the same area
- What is the pilot required to do?
- What can the pilot decide to do?
A pilot is planning a cross-country flight, for what reasons would they want to review AIRMETs/SIGMETs?
- How does it affect preflight planning?
A pilot is planning a local flight, for what reasons would they want to use a surface analysis chart?
- How does it affect preflight planning?
- What are the types of airmasses and fronts depicted?
- What kind of weather would be expected in those frontal areas?
A pilot is planning a local flight, for what reasons would they want to use a convective outlook?
- How does it affect preflight planning?
With the previous TAF reports:
- What does the wind information tell us (tie to weather enroute limitations, etc.)?
- What does the visibility tell us?
- What does the present weather tell us?
- What does the sky condition tell us?
- What does the temperature/dewpoint tell us (tie to density altitude, hazards, etc.)?
- What does "FM" or "BECMG" tell us?
Provided a route of flight that passes near (3) stations:
- What are the winds doing?
- Are the temperatures above or below standard and what are the implications of either?
- What does a temperature inversion look like?
- In those instances of high wind velocities, how does one decifer the three digit wind speed?
Related scenarios:

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Student Actions

Complete the assigned readings (see content above).
Complete a personal weather minimums worksheet.
Complete or review AOPA's Online Learning Course - Weather or Not Thunderstorm Challenge.
Ask pertinent questions
Perform self-assessment, including fitness for flight and personal minimums, as appropriate.
Make a go/no-go decision, as appropriate

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Airman Certification Standards

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Airman Certification Standards

Objective: To determine whether the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with weather information for a flight under VFR.
Note: If K2 is selected, the evaluator must assess the applicant's knowledge of at least three sub-elements.
Note: If K3 is selected, the evaluator must assess the applicant's knowledge of at least three sub-elements.
References: 14 CFR part 91; AC 91-92; AIM; FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook), FAA-H-8033-25 (Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge), FAA-H-8083-28 (Aviation Weather Handbook).

Knowledge 4 ACS Elements

CA.I.C.K1:
Sources of weather data (e.g., National Weather Service, Flight Service) for flight planning purposes.
CA.I.C.K2:
Acceptable weather products and resources required for preflight planning, current and forecast weather for departure, en route, and arrival phases of flight such as:
- CA.I.C.K2a:
  Airport Observations (METAR and SPECI) and Pilot Observations (PIREP).
- CA.I.C.K2b:
  Surface Analysis Chart, Ceiling and Visibility Chart (CVA).
- CA.I.C.K2c:
  Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF).
- CA.I.C.K2d:
  Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA).
- CA.I.C.K2e:
  Wind and Temperature Aloft Forecast (FB).
- CA.I.C.K2f:
  Convective Outlook (AC).
- CA.I.C.K2g:
  Inflight Aviation Weather Advisories including Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET), Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET), and Convective SIGMET.
CA.I.C.K3:
Meteorology applicable to the departure, en route, alternate, and destination under visual flight rules (VFR) in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), including expected climate and hazardous conditions such as:
- CA.I.C.K2a:
  Atmospheric composition and stability.
- CA.I.C.K2b:
  Wind (e.g., windshear, mountain wave, factors affecting wind, etc.).
- CA.I.C.K2c:
  Temperature and heat exchange.
- CA.I.C.K2d:
  Moisture/precipitation.
- CA.I.C.K2e:
  Weather system formation, including air masses and fronts.
- CA.I.C.K2f:
  Clouds.
- CA.I.C.K2g:
  Turbulence.
- CA.I.C.K2h:
  Thunderstorms and microbursts.
- CA.I.C.K2i:
  Icing and freezing level information.
- CA.I.C.K2j:
  Fog/mist.
- CA.I.C.K2k:
  Frost.
- CA.I.C.K2l:
  Obstructions to visibility (e.g., smoke, haze, volcanic ash, etc.).
CA.I.C.K4:
Flight deck instrument displays of digital weather and aeronautical information.

Risk Management 2 ACS Elements

CA.I.C.R1:
Making the go/no-go and continue/divert decisions, including:
- CA.I.C.R1a:
  Circumstances that would make diversion prudent.
- CA.I.C.R1b:
  Personal weather minimums.
- CA.I.C.R1c:
  Hazardous weather conditions, including known or forecast icing or turbulence aloft.
CA.I.C.R2:
Use and limitations of:
- CA.I.C.R2a:
  Installed onboard weather equipment.
- CA.I.C.R2b:
  Aviation weather reports and forecasts.
- CA.I.C.R2c:
  Inflight weather resources.

Skills 3 ACS Elements

CA.I.C.S1:
Use available aviation weather resources to obtain an adequate weather briefing.
CA.I.C.S2:
Analyze the implications of at least three of the conditions listed in K3a through K3l, using actual weather or weather conditions provided by the evaluator.
CA.I.C.S3:
Correlate weather information to make a go/no-go decision.

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Conclusion

Re-Motivation:
- Weather Information turns weather information into operational decisions that protect aircraft performance, route flexibility, and safe landing options.
- Comparing forecasts, observations, trends, aircraft limitations, and personal minimums helps pilots identify deteriorating conditions before they eliminate safer alternatives.
- Continuous weather monitoring and a willingness to delay, divert, or discontinue a flight are essential expressions of sound aeronautical decision-making.
- Further exploration of Weather Information prepares commercial pilots to interpret more complex weather systems and make increasingly confident risk-based decisions.
Closure:
- Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson
- Assign study materials for the next lesson

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Weather Information Lesson Plan

Introduction

Schedule

Attention Getter:

Motivator:

Materials

Required Materials:

Optional Materials:

Reference Materials:

Instructor Actions

Guided Scenario(s)

Student Actions

Airman Certification Standards

Conclusion

Re-Motivation:

Closure: