IFR Checkride WX Questions

So my IR checkride is approaching, and the thing I'm the most sketchy
on I think is the weather charts. I'm fine with TAF, METAR, and other
textual, but I guess it's because I can't find all the exact same
graphics on DUATS/DUAT that they use on the FAA exam (prognostic
charts, etc). Even DUAT/DUATS show things slightly differently. How
much is this going to be asked about on the checkride? Should I know
every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting a general
idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?

Know how to interpret the material from on-line sources.
The key is, can you draw a crude picture of the weather
[verbally or with a pencil] and then apply that to the FAR
as to whether the weather, currently and forecast, will
allow the operation.

You are not becoming a weather briefer or a professional
chart maker.



"kevmor" wrote in message
oups.com...
| So my IR checkride is approaching, and the thing I'm the
most sketchy
| on I think is the weather charts. I'm fine with TAF,
METAR, and other
| textual, but I guess it's because I can't find all the
exact same
| graphics on DUATS/DUAT that they use on the FAA exam
(prognostic
| charts, etc). Even DUAT/DUATS show things slightly
differently. How
| much is this going to be asked about on the checkride?
Should I know
| every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting
a general
| idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?
|

"kevmor" wrote in message
oups.com...
So my IR checkride is approaching, and the thing I'm the most sketchy
on I think is the weather charts. I'm fine with TAF, METAR, and other
textual, but I guess it's because I can't find all the exact same
graphics on DUATS/DUAT that they use on the FAA exam (prognostic
charts, etc). Even DUAT/DUATS show things slightly differently. How
much is this going to be asked about on the checkride? Should I know
every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting a general
idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?

Our flight school CFIIs strongly suggested you bring your FAR/AIM to the
oral and the ride. Look up any of the "trivia" you aren't sure about.

--

Scott

"Jim Macklin" wrote:
Know how to interpret the material from on-line sources.
The key is, can you draw a crude picture of the weather
[verbally or with a pencil] and then apply that to the FAR
as to whether the weather, currently and forecast, will
allow the operation.

When I was doing my training (early 90's), I found studying the chart
material very difficult, for two reasons. First, the charts they showed
you in the study guides were badly reproduced, sometimes to the point of
being almost unreadable. More importantly, I never saw those charts in
real life. The days of walking into your local FSS were already gone, and
the days of universal internet access wasn't here yet. As a result,
weather for me was whatever you got on DUATs and/or by calling
1-800-WX-BRIEF, and the charts in the test prep book were completely alien.

Today, it's different. Almost any airport or FBO has computer access to
weather charts (in full color, on a high-resolution screen), as does every
pilot from their home or office (not to mention things like The Weather
Channel on TV).

I usually go to http://www.weatherunderground.com/Aviation_Maps/. I
couldn't tell you the official names of the various charts. I assume one
of them is a "prog chart", but I couldn't tell you which, nor could I tell
you how many hours in advance a prog chart is good for, or exactly what
combination of data is on a prog chart. But, I can go to that web page and
instantly see where the lows and fronts are, how they're going to move,
what the icing situation is, what the winds are like, where there's going
to be VFR weather so I know where to be thinking about alternates, etc,
etc. That's what's really important.

I also don't have all the little symbols memorized. If I'm not sure of
something, I just click on the "Learn More About Aviation Weather Maps"
link and get to the key.

I second whoever it was that suggested you bring your FAR/AIM to the
checkride. But, make sure you're already familiar with it. For many
things, the examiner will be happy with an answer like, "I don't remember
the exact details, but I know where to find it", as long as you come up
quickly find the correct section in the book. If you give him a blank
stare and start wandering aimlessly through the book, that won't work.

tscottme wrote:

Our flight school CFIIs strongly suggested you bring your FAR/AIM to the
oral and the ride. Look up any of the "trivia" you aren't sure about.


That's always been suggested to me as well.

On my PP oral, I couldn't answer one question, but I stated I could find
the answer in the AIM. The DE liked that answer, and as a question not
related to what we were doing (scuba diver flying), didn't actually have
me look it up.

However, if the answer to more than couple of questions, especially
related to the plan at hand, is "I can look that up", things may not go
so well. G

On another note, during a flight test I've been asked for information
that could be easily found in the AF/D (he actually stated that it would
be in the AF/D to obfuscate). "I'll look it up right now" was actually
a less correct answer on two occasions.

On the first, it was something directly related to our actual flight,
which I had noted on the planning information on my kneeboard. (good on
that!) On the second, the DE wanted info that we didn't need at all,
but he asked while #2 on long final to a towered airport. The correct
answer this time was that I could get it for him AFTER we land. (check!
G)

I also had my AF/D clipped so it automatically opened to the pages that
would be applicable to our trip. I still do that, it wasn't for show.

"kevmor" wrote in oups.com:

Should I know
every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting a general
idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?

Important thing to know from my experiences is to know where the freezing level will be for
icing conditions and ceilings and what kind of weather you will be flying through.
(I.E. identify conditions not condusive for your plane, such as icing or T'storms)
Knowing every bitty detail isn't necessary.

From your Duat's text briefing, you can extract ceilings, tops, and pireps.

What I found best, since the DE is going to look at what you considered using in your flight planning
is to print out the charts that assisted you in your planning. I used AOPA weather charts (for members only)
as well as http://aviationweather.gov/products/nws/tafs/graphics/ (free public access)

By providing your own charts, the DE probably won't bring up the issues of old charts since he is
looking for what you do now in your planning.

As Jim said in another post, you are not taking a test for meteorology (though it sure feels like it sometimes!)

See http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...a56cf54d9ad314

for my experiences.

Allen

On Feb 1, 10:41 pm, "kevmor" wrote:
So my IR checkride is approaching, and the thing I'm the most sketchy
on I think is the weather charts. I'm fine with TAF, METAR, and other
textual, but I guess it's because I can't find all the exact same
graphics on DUATS/DUAT that they use on the FAA exam (prognostic
charts, etc). Even DUAT/DUATS show things slightly differently. How
much is this going to be asked about on the checkride? Should I know
every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting a general
idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?


My DE had several charts, TAF printouts, etc (well worn) that showed
"iffy" weather for the route of flight. That allowed a more realistic
discussion of weather go/no-go decisions than the severe clear weather
the day of my checkride.

Your biggest goal should be to be able to describe the weather picture
(celings, winds, turbulence, icing, sigmets, etc) for a potential
route of flight. If you don't know what a symbol means when asked,
I'd volunteer that you've seen it before, but aren't sure of its
meaning, and that you would want to look it up or call the FSS.

That's what you'd do in a "real-world" situation, right? You wouldn't
just launch into a great grey mass without some sort of weather
picture. Since its a pre-flight decision, knowing where to get the
information is more important than having it memorized.

Conversely, if you get asked questions about a symbol on an approach
chart or enroute chart, its a good idea to know what those are. The
real-world example would have you thumbing through the AIM looking up
if the T symbol on an approach chart meant something for your
approach.

bdl

On 02/01/07 20:41, kevmor wrote:
So my IR checkride is approaching, and the thing I'm the most sketchy
on I think is the weather charts. I'm fine with TAF, METAR, and other
textual, but I guess it's because I can't find all the exact same
graphics on DUATS/DUAT that they use on the FAA exam (prognostic
charts, etc). Even DUAT/DUATS show things slightly differently. How
much is this going to be asked about on the checkride? Should I know
every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting a general
idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?


I was very worried about this for my check ride as well. I found that even
some of the charts referenced in Rod Machado's 'The Instrument Pilot's Survival
Manual' weren't still available.

In my case, the issue of weather was touched far less that I expected it
would be. I needed to be able to get a weather briefing and understand the
importance of things like thunderstorms, freezing levels, etc.

By the way, there are a lot of really good weather charts and other tools
available at the ADDS web site:

http://adds.aviationweather.gov/

There you will find prog charts, Icing charts, Turbulence, etc. All in
a nice, easy to locate format.

Also, Ed Williams' web site includes a great deal of information:

http://williams.best.vwh.net/

Have a look at the link to his favorite weather briefing links:

http://williams.best.vwh.net/weather/weather.html

Lots of great stuff there.

I look forward to hearing how you do on your check ride!


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

On Feb 1, 8:41 pm, "kevmor" wrote:
So my IR checkride is approaching, and the thing I'm the most sketchy
on I think is the weather charts. I'm fine with TAF, METAR, and other
textual, but I guess it's because I can't find all the exact same
graphics on DUATS/DUAT that they use on the FAA exam (prognostic
charts, etc). Even DUAT/DUATS show things slightly differently. How
much is this going to be asked about on the checkride? Should I know
every possible symbol for all those charts, or is getting a general
idea and then calling 800-WX-BRIEF good enough?


For your checkride, your DE will likely require you to show him the
"classic" charts. Radar Summary, Surface Analysis, Constant Pressure,
Weather Depiction). Since pilots only use these charts on checkrides,
there are somewhat hidden on aviationweather.gov. Try
http://aviationweather.gov/std_brief/


-Robert, CFII

On Feb 1, 10:37 pm, "Jim Macklin"
wrote:
Know how to interpret the material from on-line sources.
The key is, can you draw a crude picture of the weather
[verbally or with a pencil] and then apply that to the FAR
as to whether the weather, currently and forecast, will
allow the operation.

Partly, but every DE I've ever worked with required the applicant to
show up with the classic charts and exhibit knowledge of the symbols
(i.e. carry a secret decoder ring). Once rated, few pilots every use
these old style charts.

-Robert, CFII