Test Questions

[Dutchman]

Came accros the following this week any idea's


Q> what does xxRA mean in a METAR ?

Q> why are standard operating procedures used ?

[FlyingForFun]

Answer to first question: RA = Rain.

FFF
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[Jetdriver]

XXRA = Heavy rain

[Knold]

To answer your second question:

Because there are captains hitching along for the ride and they sometimes actually make an effort to join the game...(with varying succes I might add) :p

[oxford blue]

I don't know what the 'staff answer' to the second question is, but the common-sense answer is "because that you can roster anyone with anyone, whether they've ever met before or flown together before and, with any luck, they should both expect to do the same things at the same time and mean to say the same things by use of the same words"

As an ex-RAF officer, I've been accustomed to both constituted crews, who always flew together, and rostered crews. In general, I far prefer to work with constituted crews but, even so, I still think that you need SOPs, otherwise it can depart too far from the norm. Anyway, what happens when someone's sick, and a non-constituted member joins you for just one trip? You have to be able to work together. On it's own, the checklist isn't enough. You need SOPs as well.

Well, that's my view, anyway. In a multi-crew aircraft, communication and co-operation matter far more than individual skill and ability.

[Broken Wings]

Sounds like another happy customer.

[HPSOV]

xRA=Heavy Rain
xxRA=Very Heavy Rain

[erjdriver]

Where did you folks find "x" to denote heavy?
I've always seen "+" but never "x".


PEACE

['%MAC']

ERJ Brother,

In the US you'll see 'em on Radar Weather Reports (SD). You probably won't see them on the TAF or Metar.

+ is Heavy
++ is Very Heavy
X is intense
XX is Extreme

[Broken Wings]

Dutchman. If you're confused about the ++ business have a look here (http://www.n0esg.com/decodemetar.htm)

[Dutchman]

Thanks for the replies.

I know + stands for heavy and - for light and no symbol for moderate, just had never seen xx before.