1T #60 "I therefore wish to rest my case, as explained below, M'lud."
LOL, glad you got it. Silly ain't it this home spun 'editing' blog posts. – Big smile,
Back in the day, I was fortunate in that I always enjoyed meteorology, the UK ATPL Met. course was one of the most informative and useful ever attended; and exams are easy to pass when you learn, and learn to understand the subject.
I have noticed over the last years a trend, if you will, toward learning simply to 'pass' an exam rather than 'studying' the subject. Freely, I admit to dozing off during electrics, hydraulics bore me rigid and lets just not talk about 'radio' and sure, I always reckoned any score over a pass on that type of subject was wasted drinking time. But the basic subjects, like Met need to be 'properly' understood, it's not a subject to be left behind on the ground after licensing. I mean so that from reading a synoptic, area forecast and TAF a 'picture' of what may be expected can be made. The Met. briefing officers were great at doing this, probably still are if you could 'have a yarn'. Even so, the rudimentary aspects must be understood and used, everyday as tools of trade. I notice these days the 'kids' can translate the 'legal' requirement of a forecast much faster than I can; but, when I quiz them about what they may experience, say during an approach, (terrain effects, wind shadows, inversions etc. etc.) then the eyes glaze over. I know, this ramble is a little esoteric for Sunday but I look at the MSL chart for the accident day, the Met. data provided earlier, the track and terrain and a clear message along with a picture forms in my minds eye.
Disclaimer: not saying these guys didn't 'properly' consider the weather; or the aircraft was at fault; or blaming anyone or anything at this stage. Just saying; the effect of a weather pattern can be a real, often forgotten factor, in the game we all play under Murphy's rules.