pireps, notams, atis

• atis or automatic terminal information service is a continuous broadcast of recorded non-control information in selected high-activity terminal areas
• in atis, information is continuously broadcasted over a discrete VHF radio frequency
• notams or notices to airmen or notices to air mission (FAA) - a notice containing information concerning the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations
• pireps or pilot reports - reports from pilots that provide real-time information about weather conditions and other in-flight observations that can affect flight safety
• pireps are filed at unscheduled times with stations
• importance of pireps;

  safety, it helps pilots avoid hazardous weather

  flight planning, provides pilots with important information about the current weather conditions and any potential hazards along their route

  atc, helps in providing informed decisions about flight paths and prevent collisions caused by weather

  forecasting, provide valuable data that can be used to improve weather forecasting models
• pireps are solicited when on or more of this happened:

  • cloud ceiling at or below 5,000 feet
  • visibility reported on the surface or aloft is 5 miles or less
  • thunderstorm
  • turbulence of moderate degree or greater
  • icing
  • windshear
  • braking action
  • volcanic eruption
• pireps data should be recorded directly into the system, on FAA form 7110-2
• note on pireps: location, time, altitude, aircraft type
• in encoding, UA is routine and UUA is urgent
• for urgent or (UUA) pireps, these includes tornadoes, funnel clouds, water sprouts, clear air turbulence, severe or extreme turbulence, severe icing, hail, low-level wind shear, volcanic eruption
• in encoding, OV is a location for 3-letter NAVAID idents
• time is TM
• altitude or flight level is FL
• tp is aircraft tyoe
• sk is sky cover
• wx is flight visibility and weather
• ta is air temperature in celsius
• wv is wind direction and speed
• tb is turbulence
• must note under turbulence is duration, intensity, time, and altitude
• under duration

  intermittent or intmt

  occasional or ocnl

  continuous or cons
• under intensity is

  light or lgt

  moderate or mod

  severe or sev

  extreme or extrm
• under type is

  cat or chop
• light turbulence - momentarily causes slight erratic changes in altitude and/or attitude
• light chop - slight, rapid, and somewhat rhythmic bumpiness without appreciable change in altitude or attitude. occupants feel a slight strain against their seatbelts
• moderate turbulence 0 changes in altitude and or attitude occur but the aircraft remains in positive control. it usually causes variations in indicated airspeed\
• moderate chop - causes rapid bumps without appreciate changes in altitude or attitude. occupants feel a definite strain against their seatbelts, and unsecured objects will be dislodged
• severe causes large, abrupt changes in altitude and or attitude. it usually causes large variations in indicated airspeed and or attitude.
• severe turbulence usually causes large variations in indicated airseed and the aircraft may be momentarily out of control, occupants are violently forced against their seatbelts, and unsecured objects are tossed throughout the cabin
• extreme turbulence - aircraft is violently tossed and is practically impossible to control. it may cause structural damage
• ic is icing
• rm is remarks