atpl meteorology_ tips, tricks or mnemonics

[underpaid2011]

Hi all,

I'm finding meteorology a hard study because of the sheer quantity of information. That and that I find it incredibly boring. I have books already, and no, I'm not looking to cheat, I'm just looking for anything that will make this dry material come alive for me. I've never been good at rote memorization, it's just not how I learn.

I've already tried copious amounts of coffee but it doesn't seem to work.
Anyone got anything useful they could share with me? Mnemonics, videos, even jokes to help me remember!

Please and Thank You!

[ariel]

Try the Oxford CD - brilliant at explaining the concepts in a pictorial as well as factual way.

Met may be a vast subject, but I would never call it boring. I found/still find it a facinating and interesting subject.

Having said that, I appreciate that we are all different. Now Air Law - that's a different matter ... !

[Transsonic2000]

Concur with ariel 100%! The Oxford CD(s) are really good, very well explained and illustrated, in conjunction with the appropriate reading (either Oxford or Jeppesen or whatever) they are worth every cent - that's money well spend

ATPL JAA Software supplied by Oxford Aviation

[pipersam]

What parts are you finding hard? It's all still fresh in my head so let me know and I could throw in a few pointers etc

[Da-20 monkey]

A good way to learn for the exams is to go to an aviation meteo site and get a password for it.

Then decode a TAF and a METAR and compare the content to the synoptic chart and sig wx chart for the same period. You might also want to compare it with the weather outside. It should bear some resemblance to the reports.

There are many exam questions that ask exactly this; match a synoptic chart with the correct TAF.

Tips for synoptic charts: how does the wind circulate? where does the airmass come from? is it stabe/ unstable? Is it dry or wet? Does the front move?

Also, about half of the final exam deals with wx theory, the other half with wx reports.

This website for example:

Belgocontrol - Operational

[Northbeach]

I thought it was boring......but I was wrong.

I'm finding meteorology a hard study because of the sheer quantity of information. That and that I find it incredibly boring.

I missed more questions on meteorology than any other single area during my initial studies (now 30 years ago).

However, I find the subject very interesting now. Also with all the new real time data available the amount of information availiable is stunning. Try to learn the subject area well, it will pay high dividends in the field. For example compare the temperatures at altitude against ISA; how much and how rapidly they vary from ISA and tell me what kind of a ride you can expect? I find more tools and ways to apply the information just about every month. Amazing really............

[18greens]

I've got to ask...

I did atpl met 10 years ago. Out of academic interest things like saturated and unsaturated lapse rates were interesting and I take my hat off to the chaps who worked it all out. The position of the ITCZ through the yearly cycle made me think mmmmmmm and I can relate it to the position of the monsoon.

But I must say how many airline pilots ( experienced ones) look at a taf/ me tar and say ah yes but because of what I learned 20 years ago I'm not going there 'cos the forecaster must be wrong... Surely most of the points in the met exam apply to forecasters not pilots - all we need to know is how to interpret the output of the forecasters ( taf, metar, high level wind chart etc...). Does an airline pilot really need this exam to this level?? It's a bit like saying grade 8 violin should be part of the atpl - academically interesting but little relevance to flying.....

Oh and sorry, no mnemonics oh hang on Frank Sucks Big Ones ( Few Scattered Broken Overcast) I use that all the time- what ever was wrong with octas???. Good luck!!!

[jetsetsimon757]

I find MET the easyest out of all of them I know people find it hard but some of it is just common sense sort of things just do the BRISTOL question bank if you are getting stuck they will also try to explain things.. Its hard to do it on here.

[Captain-Random]

RTFQ - Read the Flippin Question

[NukeHunt]

Memorise the warm front and cold front diagram. When they say "go" at the start of the exam, draw it out on the scrap paper before you do anything else. Also learn the DALR/SALR graph, and draw that on the scrap paper too. Loads of questions on both of those in the exam - or there was 3 years ago anyway !!.

[G-TD]

I always found this to be helpful to memorise the order of clouds you would witness if you were on the ground as a warm front approached and passed over you:

Coke.C.A.N.

Coke - Cirrus
C. - Cirrostratus
A. - Altostratus
N. - Nimbostratus