Part 4: Autonomous activities
Part 4: Autonomous activities
Things to think about, research and discuss:
- What are the most challenging weather conditions you have ever flown in?
- What were the circumstances? What did you do?
- Have you ever flown in very cold conditions? If so, what problems did this cause?
- Similarly, have you ever flown in very hot conditions? Where was this?
- What are the effects of very hot weather on aircraft performance?
- What are the effects of high pressure on aircraft performance?
- Have you ever been affected by volcanic ash either as a pilot or an airline passenger? What were the circumstances? Where were you? How were you affected?
- Have you ever landed in a crosswind? If so, how did you react? What did you do? If not, what does your training tell you should do?
- What is windshear? Have you ever experienced this phenomenon?
- Have you ever (either as a pilot or a passenger) experienced delays or diversions as a result of bad weather? Explain the circumstances and the consequences.
- Why is the dew point important for small aircraft?
- What is wake turbulence? How can it be affected by weather? Have you ever experienced wake turbulence?
- What are the dangers of landing with a tailwind?
- What precautions might you take when landing at a coastal airport?
- What are your personal weather minima?
- In what circumstances might you experience convection turbulence? Have you ever experienced it as a pilot?
Extra reading and viewing:
- This video contains a lot of weather vocabulary in an aviation context. It is also quite clear and not too difficult to follow, although it is quite long (30 mins): Video 1
- Unsurprisingly, there are quite a lot of videos online related to extreme weather and its effects on aircraft and aviation. This one is quite good: Video 2.
Try describing what is happening in the videos and photographs. The texts will help you with vocabulary. - This link takes you to the UK Met Office’s specialist services for aviation: Video 3 which again has useful texts and videos for you to read and watch