Touring Machine Company

AIM 5−3−8. Holding i. An ATC clearance requiring an aircraft to hold at a fix where the pattern is not charted will include the following information: (See FIG 5−3−2.) 1. Direction of holding from the fix in terms of the eight cardinal compass points (i.e., N, NE, E, SE, etc.). 2. Holding fix (the fix […]

Attitude Instrument Flying—Primary and Supporting Method Update: 2017-02-18 The FAA has decided that they will no longer ask questions on this method on the Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) Knowledge Test. The Instrument Flying Handbook is the source for the questions on the FAA Knowledge Test about the primary and supporting instrument method. Bold added for […]

This is a summary of the information contained in the detailed Primary and Supporting Method for IFR post. Update: 2017-02-18 The FAA has decided that they will no longer ask questions on this method on the Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) Knowledge Test. Questions in the following topic areas have been deleted: Designation of instruments as […]

[The Aviation Weather Services book includes a section on Supplementary Products. These are not likely to be of interest to general aviation pilots, but are included here for completness.] Collaborative Convective Forecast Product (CCFP) The Collaborative Convective Forecast Product (CCFP) is a graphical representation of forecast convective occurrence verifying at 2-, 4 -, and 6-hours […]

Short-Range Surface Prognostic (Prog) Charts Short-Range Surface Prognostic (Prog) Charts (Figure 8-1) provide a forecast of surface pressure systems, fronts and precipitation for a 2-day period. The forecast area covers the 48- contiguous states, the coastal waters and portions of adjacent countries. The forecasted conditions are divided into four forecast periods, 12-, 24-, 36-, and […]

Area Forecasts (FA) The NWS issues Area Forecasts (FA) to provide an overview of regional weather conditions that could impact aviation operations in the U.S. and adjacent coastal waters. Area forecasts are issued by the following offices for the following areas: • The Aviation Weather Center (AWC)   o Conterminous U.S. and adjacent coastal waters (CONUS) […]

Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) SIGMETs provide aircraft operators and aircrews notice of potentially hazardous en route phenomena such as thunderstorms and hail, turbulence, icing, sand and dust storms, tropical cyclones, and volcanic ash. SIGMET Criteria (Non-Convective) A SIGMET may be issued when any of the following conditions occur or is expected to occur in an […]

Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) is the primary observation code used in the U. S. to satisfy World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements for reporting surface meteorological data. A METAR report includes the airport identifier, time of observation, wind, visibility, runway visual range, present weather […]

There are lots of sources for aviation weather and I cover them in some detail in this post. The National Weather Service publishes weather observations for aviators and publishes most of them at the Standard Briefing page. Most of them are covered in the FAA publication Aviation Weather Services AC 00-45F. The 2007 version of […]

Why is there a difference between the magnetic variation for the airport and the VOR located at the same airport? When a navaid is first constructed, the antenna is physically oriented to True North. Then a potentiometer adjustment is made to slave the navaid with Magnetic North. This action matches the isogonic line making it […]