ATPL Aviation Meteorology DGCA syllabus for pilots

This is the DGCA prescribed syllabus for ATPL meteorology.

Aviation Meteorology

1.1 The Atmosphere

a) Composition, extent, vertical division

b) Temperature
– vertical distribution of temperature
– transfer of heat : solar and terrestrial radiation, conduction, convection, advection and turbulence
– lapse rate, stability and instability
– development of inversions, types of inversions
– temperature near the earth’s surface, surface effects, diurnal
– variation, effect of clouds, effect of wind

c) Atmospheric pressure
– barometric pressure, isobars
– pressure variation with height, contours (isohypses)
– reduction of pressure to mean sea level, QFF
– surface low/upper-air low, surface high/upper-air high precipitation

d) Atmospheric density: interrelationship of pressure, temperature and density

e) International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)

f) Altimetry
– pressure altitude, true altitude
– height, altitude, flight level
– altimeter settings: QNH, QFE, 1013.25 hPa
– calculation of terrain clearance, lowest usable flight level, rule of thumb for temperature and pressure influences
– effect of accelerated airflow due to topography

1.2 Wind
a) Definition and measurement
b) Primary cause of wind
– primary cause of wind, pressure gradient, coriolis force
– gradient wind
– relationship between isobars and wind
– effects of convergence and divergence
c) General circulation
– general circulation around the globe
d) Turbulence
– Turbulence and gustiness, types of turbulence
– origin and location of turbulence
e) Variation of wind with height
– variation of wind in the friction layer
– variation of the wind caused by fronts
f) Local winds: Anabatic and katabatic winds, land and sea breezes,
venture effects
g) Jet Streams
– origin of jet streams
– description and location of jet streams
– names, heights and seasonal occurrence of jet streams
– jet stream recognition
– CAT: cause, location and forecasting
h) Standing waves: Origin of standing waves

1.3 Thermodynamics
a) Humidity
– water vapour in the atmosphere
– temperature/dew point, mixing ratio, relative humidity
b) Change of state of aggregation: condensation, evaporation,
sublimation, freezing and melting, latent heat
c) Adiabatic processes

1.4 Clouds and Fog
a) Clouds formation and description
– cooling by adiabatic expansion and by advection
– cloud types, cloud classification
– influence of inversions on cloud development
– flying conditions in each cloud type
b) Fog, mist, haze
– radiation fog
– advection fog
– steaming fog
– frontal fog
– orographic fog
1.5 Precipitation
a) Development of precipitation
– development of precipitation
– types of precipitation
– type of precipitation, relationship with cloud types
1.6 Air masses and Fronts
a) Types of air masses
– description, factors, affecting the properties of an air mass
– classification of air masses, modifications of air masses, areas of origin
–
b) Fronts
– boundaries between air masses (fronts), general situation,
geographic differentiation
– warm front, associated clouds and weather
– cold front, associated clouds and weather
– Warm sector, associated clouds and weather
– weather behind the cold front
– occlusions, associated clouds and weather
– stationary front, associated clouds and weather
– movement of fronts and pressure systems, life cyclea) Location of the principal pressure areas

b) Anticyclone: Anticyclones, types, general properties, cold and warm anticyclones, ridges and wedges, subsidence
c) Non frontal depressions
– thermal, orographic – and secondary depressions, cold air pools, trough
d) Tropical revolving storms
– development of tropical revolving storms
– origin and local names, location and period of occurrence

1.8 Climatology
a) Climatic zones
– general seasonal circulation in the troposphere and lower
stratosphere
– tropical rain climate, dry climate, mid-latitude-climate, subarctical climate with cold winter, snow climate
b) Indian Climatology
c) Tropical climatology
– cause and development of tropical showers: humidity,
temperature, tropopause
– seasonal variations of weather and wind, typical synoptic situation
– inter Tropical convergence zones (ITCZ), weather in the ITCZ, general seasonal movement
– climatic elements relative to the area (monsoon, trade winds, sand storms, cold air outbreaks)
– easterly waves
d) Typical weather situations in mid-latitudes
– westerly waves
– high pressure area
– uniform pressure pattern
e) Local seasonal weather and wind
– local seasonal weather and wind
– monsoon (South West and North East), pre-monsoon, post
monsoon, northwesters, kal-baisakhis, western disturbance,
Loo.
– foehn, mistral, bora bora, scirocco
– khamsin, harmattan, ghibbli and pampero

1.9 Flight Hazards
a) Icing
– weather conditions for ice accretion, topographical effects
– types of ice accretion
– hazards of ice accretion, avoidance
b) Turbulence
– effects on flight, avoidance
– CAT: effects on flight
c) Windshear
– definition of windshear
– weather conditions for windshear
– effects on flight
d) Thunderstorms
– structure of thunderstorms, squall lines, life history, storm
cells, electricity in the atmosphere, static charges
– conditions for and process of development, forecast,
location, type specification
– Thunderstorm avoidance, ground/airborne radar, storm
scope
– development and effect of down bursts
– development of lightning discharge and effect of lightning
strike on aircraft and flight execution
e) Tornadoes
f) Low and high level inversions: Influence on aircraft performance
g) Stratospheric conditions
– tropopause influence on aircraft performance
– effect of ozone, radioactivity
h) Hazards in mountainous areas
– influence of terrain on clouds and precipitation, frontal passage
– vertical movements, mountain waves, windshear,
turbulence, ice accretion
– development and effect of valley inversions
i) Visibility reducing phenomena
– reduction of visibility caused by mist, smoke, dust, sand and precipitation
– reduction of visibility caused by low drifting and blowing snow

1.10. Meteorological Information
a) Observation
– on the ground – surface wind, visibility and runway visual range, transmissometers; Clouds – type, amount, height of base and tops, movement; Weather – including all types of  precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, dew point, atmospheric pressure
– upper air observations
– satellite observations, interpretation
– weather radar observations ground and airborne, interpretation
– aircraft observations and reporting, data link systems,
PIREPS
–
b) Weather Charts
– significant weather charts
– surface charts
– upper air charts
– symbols and signs on analysed and prognostic charts
–
c) Information for Flight Planning
– aeronautical codes: METAR, TAF, SPECI, SIGMET, SNOWTAM, runway report
– meteorological broadcasts for aviation: VOLMET, ATIS, HFVOLMET, ACARS
– content and use of pre-flight meteorological documents
– meteorological briefing and advice
– measuring and warning systems for low level windshear
– inversion
– special meteorological warnings
– information for computer flight planning