Met Questions

[Cavallier]

Hello all. Am just doing some research for my Dragonair interview and have found a few met anomalies in the 'Ace Your Technical Interview ' book.

1) The book states that lightning strikes are more frequent at temperatures +10 c - 10c within 5000 feet of the freezing level, yet when I dusted off my ATPL Met notes it mentioned the figure was more like + 5 c - 5 c !

2) Along the same lines the book states that one of the requirements for a Tropical Revolving storm is the sea temperature to be + 26.5 c yet my notes are claiming it to be + 28.5 c.

I realise that Met is not an exact science but a defined answer would be nice.

Thanks Cav

[catchup]

google


2) A severe depression (region of very low atmospheric pressure) in tropical regions, called typhoon in the North Pacific. It is a revolving storm originating at latitudes between 5° and 20° north or south of the Equator, when the surface temperature of the ocean is above 27°C/80°F . A central calm area, called the eye, is surrounded by inwardly spiralling winds (anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere) of up to 320 kph/200 mph. A hurricane is accompanied by lightning and torrential rain, and can cause extensive damage. In meteorology, a hurricane is a wind of force 12 or more on the Beaufort scale.


regards

[Tinstaafl]

Was always 26.5 deg for cyclone formation in the met courses I've done over the last 20 years. Never heard of 28.5. Perhaps storms in other oceans need a slightly higher water temp for some reason, say, reduced time over water or something?

[bobrun]

From the NOAA website: warm ocean waters (of at least 26.5°C [80°F]) throughout a sufficient depth (unknown how deep, but at least on the order of 50 m [150 ft]).

[swh]

Cavallier,

I seem to recall +/- 5 deg, and +/- 10,000 ft of the freezing level and when ice crystals are present.

Maybe they just got the 5 & 10s the wrong way around, +/- 10 deg would be +/- 20,000 ft of the freezing level.

[palgia]

I realise that Met is not an exact science but a defined answer would be nice.

I agree with you that it would be nice... but unfortunately there isn't one.

In meteorology there are very few, if any, "magic numbers" or thresholds at which things happen. There are just TOO MANY variables, more than ANY other science.

Learning or memorizing such useless numbers is not only pointless, but can also be dangerous if one trusts them when making operational decisions. Save the brainpower for some UNDERSTANDING of how the very basic principles or meteorology create most of the weather around us. Look beyond the literature written for pilots. The majority of pilots I came across had a very poor understanding of the most basic meteorology principles. All of them THOUGHT thew knew more than they actually did.


palgia

[BANANASBANANAS]

And on a more practical note:

I have just done my KA interview and wasn't asked any met questions. Know your own aeroplane inside out, know Perf A, and make sure you can explain your own company icing procedures and fuel policy. And if you aren't already Airbus rated be very gentle with the side stick. If in doubt, let go, count to three then start again otherwise you will PIO your way down the ILS.

Bananas

[Cavallier]

Thanks Bananasbananas,

Am coming from a GA / Instructing background so flying with a sidestick wil be totally new to me.

Cav

[autoflight]

Side Stick aileron neutral position is disguised by the additional backward pressure required during a go-around. Unless you sit in a chair & practice pulling straight back, it is likely that you will roll a bit right if flying from the left seat, and a bit left from the right seat.