UNIT 8 METEOROLOGY

Flying VFR means that we need a minimum amount of visibility to fly safely. Day or night makes no difference to the visibility or transparency of air. But, what do you understand by visibility? Talk to your partner and try to provide a definition.

Now have a look at this one: It is the ability to see through air. Clean clear air allows for a better visibility than air polluted with dust and particles.

What weather phenomena do you know that can affect visibility? Mention them. Now, read the following extract and later, explain these to your partner using your own words.

Rain or snow reduce visibility. A drizzle will not hinder VFR operations.
Precipitation

Fog is visibility less than 1000 metres and Mist is visibility between 1000 and 5000 metres.
Fog/mist

Haze

When visibility is reduced to 5000 metres or less by the presence of dust particles it is called haze. When dust or sand particles are blown off and visibility reduces to less than 1000 metres it is referred to as dust or sand storm. Industrial activities and fires in residential areas add soot and carbon to the environment. This adds enough condensation nuclei to the air so that condensation will take place and thus smog is formed.

Smoke

It adds salt particles to the air thus increasing the amount of condensation nuclei.
sea spray

Types of fog

Precipitation types

Drizzle: stratus clouds + nimbostratus cloud.

Rain: the most common type of precipitation when temperatures are above zero.

Snow: snow pellets are little grains of ice with a milky white appearance and spherical shaped. (sleet: rain and snow)

Hail: irregular balls shaped pieces of clear ice with an ice crystal core.

How many different weather conditions can you name now?

Clouds play an important role in determining weather conditions. Watch the following video and take down notes on: Types of clouds Description of these

You may need to watch the video twice to analyze vocabulary 2

Video: Types of Clouds

Nouns and adjectives related to meteorology: To describe weather we can use: NOUN SNOW VERB ADJECTIVE SNOWY RAINY SUN WIND CLOUD STORMY FOGGY HOT COLD WARM COOL WET 3 Have you learnt any other weather condition?

Match the following words with the suitable pictures above: HAIL / DRIZZLE / SUNNY / PARTLY CLOUDY / CLOUDY / STORMY / SNOWY / WINDY / HEAVY SNOW RAINY / THUNDERSTORM / VERY CLOUDY.

Video: Aviation Routine Weather Report (up to 06:18) Watch the introduction of the video and answer these questions: What is a METAR? How many types of METARs are there? What information is included in it?

Watch the second part of the video and write what each piece of information represents. Explain fully.

Pronunciation Focus! Watch as from 2:18 to 3:37, listen carefully to the way the words are pronounced. Later, the teacher will play the video again without sound, you will have to read the terms out loud. Pay attention to pronunciation. Watch the last part of the video, take down notes. Work in pairs. After watching the explanation of information about clouds, use your own words to explain the following slide. Imagine you have to give a presentation, prepare a formal and academic speech. Practise it in front of the class. 4

Listening Comprehension Practice (Listening 30): Listen to two METARs and one TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts) report and complete the missing information below:

1) METAR for KBUF 121755Z auto 210 16G 24 kt180 V240 1SM R______ /P ______ ft BR BKN ________ OVCO25 _________ /04 A 2) METAR for EPKK 06 __________ 120 ___________ 1400 R ___________/ P ________ N +SN _________ 017 M04 / _________ Q _________N0SIG 3) TAF for SBRF __________ 070801Z 210 ________ KT 9999 BKN _________ RA BKN008 TEMPO 0712 / 0718 _______ 015=

Write the METAR for Heathrow airport according to the picture below

Oral Practice: Read aloud these METARs 1) 2) 3) 4) KPWM 030612Z COR 00000KT 1SM BR OVC001 19/19 A2984 KPWM 030612Z 31013KT 270V350 10SM CLR 26/14 A3002 KAUS 030553Z 31013KT 270V350 10SM CLR 26/14 A3002 KAUS 030553Z 31013KT 270V350 10SM CLR 26/14 A3002 CLR: An automated system detected no clouds below 12,000 feet AGL. SKC: The skies were normally observed to be clear.

Listening Practice 31 Listen to two ATIS (automatic terminal Information Service) transmissions and complete the tables below.

ATIS 1 Airport Information Time Departure RWY Wind Velocity Visibility Cloud Temperature Dew Point QNH

ATIS 2 Airport Information Time ILS RWY RWY Condition Transition Level Runways closed Wind velocity Visibility Precipitation Ceiling Temperature Dew Point QNH Special instructions

In what order is ATIS information usually given? What information is mandatory? What information may be optional? Why is this information so critical for both pilots and controllers?

Oral Practice: Role playing: take turns to give an actual updated weather report. Use the blank table below to take notes.
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Student A ATIS CYYZ (Toronto Pearson International Airport) Information Delta Weather 1300Zulu Wind 020 at 3 kts Visibility: 10 km Ceiling: 14,000 broken, 25,000 broken Temperature: 7 Dew Point: -2 QNH: 1017hPa IFR approach is ILS Runway 15R

Departure runway 15L All runways 100% clear and dry Runway 06R / 24L closed for repairs

Monitor frequency 133.1 for NOTAMs not available by datalink Inform ATC that you have information delta

Airport Information Time Wind direction/velocity Visibility Precipitation Ceiling Temperature

Dew Point QNH ILS RWY Landing RWY Departing RWY NOTAM Data Special instructions

Student B ATIS UUEE (Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport) 1755 Zulu Automated Weather Wind 260 at 15 gust 19 Visibility 6, light snow 2,600 broken, 3,500 overcast Temperature: -5 Dew Point: -11 Altimeter 997 hPa ILS runway 25R approach in use Landing runway 25L Notices to Airmen: work in progress on TWY B Read back all runway assignments and all hold short instructions

Use caution for birds in the vicinity of the active runway Advise the controller on initial contact, you have India

Airport Information Time Wind direction/velocity Visibility Precipitation Ceiling Temperature

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Dew Point QNH ILS RWY Landing RWY Departing RWY NOTAM Data Special instructions

Grammar Focus
BE GOING TO / WILL Both "will" and "going to" are used to predict the future, but "going to" adds further information. It expresses a plan or an intention. That is, the event is pre-determined. Simple prediction about the weather a. The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow. = 'tomorrow' is in the future, so is 'will rain'. Whether there's evidence or not is not important. "will" expresses an event that hasn't yet happened. A pre-determined prediction about the weather b. The weather forecast says it's going to rain tomorrow. =evidence: the satellite map indicates rain.

Future with Going to - form

This form is composed of three elements: the appropriate form of the verb 'to be' + going to + the infinitive of the main verb: Subject She It is used:

'to be' is

going to going to

infinitive leave

to refer to our plans and intentions: We're going to move to London next year. (= the plan is in our minds now) to make predictions based on present evidence: Look at those clouds - it's going to pour with rain! (= It's clear from what I can see now.)
Note: In everyday speech, 'going to' is often shortened to 'gonna', especially in American English.

Plans and intentions:

Is Freddy going to buy a new car soon? Are John and Pam going to visit Milan when they are in Italy? I think Nigel and Mary are going to have a party next week. Predictions based on present evidence:

There's going to be a terrible accident! He's going to be a brilliant politician.

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I'm going to have terrible indigestion.

NOTE: It is unusual to say 'I'm going to go to...' Instead, we use 'going to' + a place or event:

We are going to the beach tomorrow. She is going to the ballet tonight. Are you going to the party tomorrow night?

Simple future form The 'simple' future is composed of two parts: will + the infinitive without 'to' Subject He will will infinitive without to leave...

Affirmative I'll see *I will see You'll see He, she, it will see We'll see *We will see You will see They'll see

Negative I won't see I won't see You won't see He won't see We won't see We won't see You won't see They won't see

Interrogative Will I see? Will I see? Will you see? Will she see? Will we see? Will we see? Will you see? Will they see?

*NOTE: shall is slightly dated but can be used instead of will with I or we. The simple future is used:

to predict a future event: It will rain tomorrow. (with I/ we) to express a spontaneous decision: I'll pay for the tickets by credit card. to express willingness: I'll do the washing-up. He'll carry your bag for you. (with I in the interrogative form) to make an offer: Shall I open the window?
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(with we in the interrogative form) to make a suggestion: Shall we go to the cinema tonight?

Lets practise Will or going to-future Exercise

587 Tenses w ill-future or goin en

Put in the verbs in brackets into the gap. Use will-future or going to-future. Example: I hope, that the sun ________ tomorrow. (to shine) Answer: I hope, that the sun will shine tomorrow.

1) Philipp 2) They 3) I think my mother 4) Paul's sister 5) They 6) Just a moment. I 7) In 2020 people 8) Marvin 9) We

15 next Wednesday. (to be) a new computer. (to get) this CD. (to like) a baby. (to have) at about 4 in the afternoon. (to arrive) you with the bags. (to help) more hybrid cars. (to buy) a party next week. (to throw) to Venice in June. (to fly) soon. (to rain)

10) Look at the clouds! It

1) He 2) We 3) My sister 4) You 5) Jane 6) They 7) His brother 8) She 9) I

his friend. (to phone) a new computer game. (to play) TV. (to watch) a picnic next Tuesday. (to have) to the office. (to go) to the bus stop this afternoon. (to walk) a letter to his uncle today. (to write) her aunt. (to visit) my homework after school. (to do)

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10) Sophie and Nick

their friends. (to meet)

Final Task: Surf the internet and find a meteorological web page, and from there, find the weather forecast for the day and for the week. Task 1: Work in pairs. Imagine one of you is a pilot who is planning some visual flights for the incoming week. Talk to him and give the weather forecast. Use the correct future forms. Now exchange roles and have a different conversation. Task 2: Find a METAR and bring it to the class. Practise reporting the METAR as an ATIS, adding any necessary information. After practicing it in class, paying attention to pronunciation and vocabulary, record the ATIS at home. Your teacher will then tell you how to correct it.

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