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Course syllabuses

Met Office training in aviation meteorology offers pilots a comprehensive programme covering all aspects of aviation meteorology. Whether you are a beginner or simply looking to learn more, we have a course to suit your needs.

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Details of the course syllabuses

 

SYLLABUS FOR THE 2-DAY MET. FOR GLIDERS COURSE
Aim: To increase the pilot's understanding and awareness of gliding meteorology
Objectives:

By the end of the course, participants should:

  • have an improved understanding of general meteorology including pressure systems, air masses and frontal systems;
  • understand the basic forces acting on the atmosphere, and their relationship with the wind;
  • have an improved level of interpretation of aviation forecast products;
  • understand the concepts of atmospheric stability, and their impact on cloud development;
  • have a basic understanding of how to interpret weather satellite and radar rainfall imagery;
  • be introduced to the interpretation of Met Office computer model charts.
Day 1 morning:
  • Introduction
  • Air masses
  • Fronts and pressure systems
  • Tour of Met Office Operations Centre

Afternoon:
  • Interpreting 214, 215 forms
  • Introduction to computer weather model output, including the Met Office computer model
  • Wind forecasting, including sea breezes and valley winds
Day 2 Morning:
  • Introduction to the tephigram, in relation to determining stability/instability
  • Tephigram techniques related to convective cloud forecasting, including infill
  • Tephigram techniques related to layered cloud forecasting
  • Mountain waves
Afternoon:
  • Aviation hazards
  • Satellite and radar interpretation
  • Questions and course review
SYLLABUS FOR THE 2-DAY MET. FOR AVIATORS COURSE
Aim: To broaden and enhance the pilot's knowledge of aviation weather in relation to low-level route planning and safety
Objectives: By the end of the course, participants should:
  • have an improved understanding of general meteorology including pressure systems, air masses, frontal systems, forces acting on the atmosphere and wind;
  • be able to fully interpret and effectively use METARs and TAFs;
  • have an improved understanding of aviation hazards and the use of specific aviation forecast products (214/215);
  • have a basic understanding of how to interpret weather satellite and radar rainfall imagery.
Topics will include:
  • Understanding the forces that generate the surface wind
  • Air-mass recognition including clouds and stability
  • Fronts and pressure systems
  • Altimetry
  • Basic weather radar and satellite interpretation
  • METARs, TRENDs and TAFs
 
  • Weather-related aviation hazards
  • Metform F214 & F215, understanding the terminology and interpretation
  • Flight forecast and route planning exercise
  • Tour of Met Office Operations Centre
  • Met Office Aviation Services

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SYLLABUS FOR THE 2-DAY MET. FOR BALLOONISTS COURSE
Aim: To broaden and enhance the pilot's knowledge of ballooning meteorology
Objectives:

By the end of the course, participants should:

  • be able to recognise likely ballooning prospects by considering air-mass type;
  • have a basic understanding of the formation and lifecycle of weather fronts;
  • be able to fully interpret and effectively use METARs and TAFs;
  • have an improved understanding of aviation hazards and the use of specific aviation forecast products, including how basic data is obtained and used by the forecasters;
  • have a basic understanding of the atmospheric processes, including stability and the tephigram, and the relationship between density, pressure, temperature and humidity;
  • have a basic understanding of clouds and how they form;
  • have a basic understanding of visibility, including the understanding of fog and stratus processes and haze development.
Day 1 morning:
  • Introduction
  • Air-mass recognition including stability
  • Fronts and pressure systems
Afternoon:
  • Understanding the forces that generate the surface wind
  • Surface weather chart interpretation
  • Visibility – fog formation, clearance mechanisms, haze/slant visibility
Day 2 Morning:
  • Weather-related aviation hazards
  • Clouds and how they form, cloud physics, stability in the atmosphere
  • Atmospheric process, tephigrams, relationship between density, pressure, temperature and humidity
Afternoon:
  • Tour of Met Office Operations Centre
  • METARs, TAFs, and surface observations
  • Weather charts, Metform F214 & F215, understanding the terminology and interpretation, Ballooning forecasts, forecast wind charts.

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SYLLABUS FOR THE 1-DAY FLIGHT PLANNING MET. COURSE
Aim: To broaden and enhance the planner's knowledge of aviation weather in relation to flight planning and safety.
Objectives:

By the end of the course, participants should:

  • be able to fully interpret and effectively use METAR, TAF and station circle data;
  • have an improved understanding of aviation hazards, SIGMETs and the use of WAFC medium and high level significant weather and wind forecast charts;
  • have a basic understanding of how to interpret weather satellite and radar rainfall imagery.
Morning:
  • Introduction
  • METARs/TAFs/station circle
  • METAR and TAF exercise
  • Surface weather chart interpretation
Afternoon:
  • Aviation weather hazards
  • Basic weather radar and satellite interpretation
  • Interpretation of WAFC forecast wind and significant weather charts and SIGMETs
  • WAFC charts route planning exercise

Further information about the Flight Planning Met. course can be obtained by e-mailing your query to met4aviators@metoffice.gov.uk or by contacting our Customer Centre.