Weather Information

Objective
Exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with obtaining, understanding, and applying weather information for a flight under IFR.

Knowledge
Sources of weather data (e.g., National Weather Service, Flight Service) for flight planning purposes.
Acceptable weather products and resources utilized for preflight planning, current and forecast weather for departure and en route operations and arrival phases of flight.
Meteorology applicable to the departure, en route, alternate, and destination for flights conducted under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) to include expected climate and hazardous conditions such as:
a. Atmospheric composition and stability
b. Wind (e.g., crosswind, tailwind, windshear, mountain wave, etc.)
c. Temperature
d. Moisture/precipitation
e. Weather system formation, including air masses and fronts
f. Clouds
g. Turbulence
h. Thunderstorms and microbursts
i. Icing and freezing level information
j. Fog/mist
k. Frost
l. Obstructions to visibility (e.g., smoke, haze, volcanic ash, etc.)
Flight deck displays of digital weather and aeronautical information.

Risk Management
Factors involved in making the go/no-go and continue/divert decisions, to include:
a. Circumstances that would make diversion prudent
b. Personal Weather Minimums
c. Hazardous weather conditions to include known or forecast icing or turbulence aloft
Limitations of:
a. Onboard weather equipment
b. Aviation weather reports and forecasts
c. Inflight weather resources

Skills
Use available aviation weather resources to obtain an adequate weather briefing.
For a given flight plan scenario, using real-time weather, analyze the implications of:    a. Atmospheric composition and stability
b. Wind (e.g., crosswind, tailwind, windshear, mountain wave, etc.)
c. Temperature
d. Moisture/precipitation
e. Weather system formation, including air masses and fronts
f. Clouds
g. Turbulence
h. Thunderstorms and microbursts
i. Icing and freezing level information
j. Fog/mist
k. Frost
l. Obstructions to visibility (e.g., smoke, haze, volcanic ash, etc.)
Correlate weather information to make a competent go/no-go decision.
Determine whether an alternate airport is required, and, if required, whether the selected alternate airport meets regulatory requirements.