CHAPTER 1
AVIATION WEATHER
Weather phenomenon, as it affects aviation, is an integral part of your job as an Air
Traffic Controller (AC). You will be part of a team that keeps pilots informed of current
and forecasted weather conditions that will affect the safety of flight and sometimes the
pilots' very survival. As an AC, you must accurately report weather conditions and
recognize any differences between the actual weather conditions, as observed from the
tower, and those indicated by the current weather report. You must understand how
current and developing meteorological conditions affect the decision you and the pilot
make, from the preflight planning stage to landing rollout. It is critical that you
understand the information in this chapter and realize the impact weather has on the
safe, expeditious flow of air traffic.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The material in this chapter will enable you to:
Identify standard (sea level) pressure and associated atmospheric terms and
their characteristics and effects.
Identify the major cloud formations and types, their general characteristics, and
the levels at which they occur.
Identify the types, effects, designations, and characteristics of fronts.
State possible controller operational considerations for certain weather
conditions.
Identify the activities that provide weather service to pilots, and the methods used
to distribute weather information.
Decode weather data using standard codes and contractions.
State the proper broadcasting procedures and phraseology used to transmit
weather information to pilots.
Obtain weather information from pilots and relay it to aircraft and area air traffic
control facilities.
Identify and explain the different types of forecasts, advisories, and warnings
issued by the Navy and the National Weather Service (NWS).
ATMOSPHERE
All of the weather that we experience occurs in the atmosphere. The radiant energy of
the sun is the catalyst that causes the different weather and wind patterns that we
experience. In this section we will discuss some of the basic characteristics of our
atmosphere.
1-1
