SIFT SIFT Aviation Weather and Navigation Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which cloud type is considered most hazardous to Army aviation due to severe turbulence, icing, and lightning?
- Cirrus
- Stratus
- Cumulonimbus (Correct answer)
- Altocumulus
Correct answer: Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with thunderstorms and produce the most severe aviation hazards: extreme turbulence, hail, icing, windshear, and lightning.
Question 2: What does the aviation acronym VFR stand for?
- Vertical Flight Regulations
- Visual Flight Rules (Correct answer)
- Variable Frequency Routing
- Vectored Flight Reporting
Correct answer: Visual Flight Rules
VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules, the set of regulations under which a pilot can fly using outside visual references rather than relying solely on instruments.
Question 3: Which atmospheric layer contains virtually all weather phenomena that affect Army aviation operations?
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Troposphere (Correct answer)
- Thermosphere
Correct answer: Troposphere
The troposphere, extending from the surface to roughly 36,000 feet, contains almost all of the water vapor and weather that pilots encounter.
Question 4: Wind shear is most dangerous for helicopter operations during which phase of flight?
- Cruise at altitude
- Takeoff and landing (Correct answer)
- Hovering in ground effect
- Autorotation descent
Correct answer: Takeoff and landing
During takeoff and landing, helicopters operate at low speed and low altitude, leaving little margin to recover from the sudden airspeed or lift changes caused by wind shear.
Question 5: What is the standard temperature lapse rate in the troposphere used for pressure altitude calculations?
- 1°C per 1,000 feet
- 2°C per 1,000 feet (Correct answer)
- 3°C per 1,000 feet
- 5°C per 1,000 feet
Correct answer: 2°C per 1,000 feet
The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) defines a lapse rate of approximately 2°C (3.5°F) per 1,000 feet of altitude gain in the troposphere.
Question 6: A rapidly falling barometric pressure reading most reliably indicates:
- Clear, stable weather is settling in
- An approaching storm system with deteriorating conditions (Correct answer)
- High-pressure ridges building overhead
- Fog dissipation at dawn
Correct answer: An approaching storm system with deteriorating conditions
A rapid drop in barometric pressure signals the approach of a low-pressure system, which typically brings clouds, precipitation, and worsening weather.
SIFT SIFT Aviation Weather and Navigation Questions and Answers 1
Which cloud type is considered most hazardous to Army aviation due to severe turbulence, icing, and lightning?