ADX Weather and Environmental Factors 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dispatcher notices a SIGMET for severe icing in cloud between FL180 and FL240 along the route. Which aircraft certification is required to legally operate in that airspace?
- Any IFR-certified aircraft
- Aircraft certified for flight in known icing conditions (Correct answer)
- Aircraft with de-icing boots only
- No special certification is required if pilots are instrument-rated
Correct answer: Aircraft certified for flight in known icing conditions
Known icing SIGMETs require that aircraft be certificated and equipped for flight in known icing conditions to operate legally in the affected airspace.
Question 2: What does a Wind Shear PIREP (UA) reporting '+' before the wind shear intensity indicate?
- Positive (increasing) airspeed during wind shear encounter
- Severe wind shear (Correct answer)
- Moderate wind shear
- Wind shear only on final approach
Correct answer: Severe wind shear
A '+' prefix in a PIREP wind shear report denotes severe intensity, indicating a sudden airspeed change of 15 knots or more.
Question 3: Which synoptic feature is most likely to produce widespread IFR conditions with low ceilings and restricted visibility across a large geographic area?
- A fast-moving cold front
- A stationary front with warm moist air overrunning it (Correct answer)
- An upper-level ridge
- A dry line
Correct answer: A stationary front with warm moist air overrunning it
A stationary front allows warm, moist air to overrun the front for extended periods, producing widespread stratus, low ceilings, and IFR conditions over a large area.
Question 4: A dispatcher reviews a TAF that includes 'TEMPO 1416 +TSRA.' What does this mean?
- Temporary thunderstorms with heavy rain expected between 1400Z and 1600Z (Correct answer)
- Temporary thunderstorms with heavy rain expected between the 14th and 16th of the month
- A probability of 40% of thunderstorms between 1400Z and 1600Z
- Thunderstorms will persist from 1400Z to 1600Z without breaks
Correct answer: Temporary thunderstorms with heavy rain expected between 1400Z and 1600Z
TEMPO in a TAF indicates temporary fluctuating conditions expected to last less than half the period; 1416 means from 1400Z to 1600Z; +TSRA means heavy thunderstorm with rain.
Question 5: What is the primary hazard associated with a microburst during the takeoff roll?
- Sudden headwind increase improving performance
- Sudden tailwind after an initial headwind, causing rapid performance loss (Correct answer)
- Severe turbulence above 1,000 feet AGL
- Localized heavy precipitation reducing visibility only
Correct answer: Sudden tailwind after an initial headwind, causing rapid performance loss
During takeoff through a microburst, an aircraft first encounters a headwind (temporary performance gain) then a severe tailwind, causing a sudden and dangerous loss of airspeed and climb performance.
Question 6: Which weather phenomenon is described as 'a rapidly rotating column of air extending from a cumulonimbus cloud that does not reach the surface'?
- Funnel cloud (Correct answer)
- Waterspout
- Dust devil
- Gustnado
Correct answer: Funnel cloud
A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air connected to a cumulonimbus base that has not yet reached the ground; if it reaches water it becomes a waterspout, or land it becomes a tornado.
Question 7: An Airmet Sierra is issued for a route segment. What specific weather condition does Sierra designate?
- Turbulence and strong surface winds
- IFR conditions and/or mountain obscuration (Correct answer)
- Icing and freezing levels
- Sustained surface winds exceeding 30 knots
Correct answer: IFR conditions and/or mountain obscuration
Airmet Sierra specifically covers IFR conditions (ceilings below 1,000 ft and/or visibility below 3 miles) and mountain obscuration affecting instrument flight.
ADX Weather and Environmental Factors 2
A dispatcher notices a SIGMET for severe icing in cloud between FL180 and FL240 along the route.
Which aircraft certification is required to legally operate in that airspace?