Weather Flight Planning

Question 1

IFR Weather Planning

Answer 1

Weather info will be obtained from a US Military weather facility

Void time is 1.5 hours from weather briefing if A/C has not departed

Crew should update weather briefing on stopover flights

Briefing:

• Face-to-Face with military forecaster (nice)
• Operational Weather Squadron (OWS) - phone (FIH) or closed circuit TV
• Flight Service Station (FSS) when authorized (by Command AND MACOM): 1-800-WX-BRIEF or remote communications outlet. [can call for updates]

Can request through internet

• https://www.rucker.army.mil/6weather/avwx.htm
• http://aviationweather.gov/adds/

Must request weather brief 2 hours in advance

Question 2

DD Form 175-1

Answer 2

5 Sections
Part 1) takeoff data
Part 2) enroute mission data
Part 3) aerodrome forecasts (tailored to your flight if cross country)
Part 4) comments/remarks
Part 5) briefing record

Alternate airport is depicted in the forecast with WORST weather - allows your to know the worst case situation.

Planning requirements:

• Can I file for my destination?
• Do I need an alternate airport for my destination?
• Does my alternate airport selection qualify?
• So I meet the requirements to takeoff?

Destination weather must be forecast to be equal to or greater than the published weather planning minimums for the approach procedure to be flown at ATE plus 1 hour

Pilot with >50 hours PC Weather time - 0-0 standard takeoff min
Pilot with <50 hours PC Weather time - 100-1/4 standard takeoff min

Approaches may have a takeoff minimum that is NON-STANDARD, thus we can only fly those minimums although Category A Helicopters (95-1 allows Category A Helicopters to reduce visibility by 50%) can reduce the visibility 50% not to exceed below 1/4 SM. ***FOR COPTER SPECIFIC APPROACHES IN THE TPP/TLA, IT IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO REDUCE THE VIS. Also cannot reduce vis if the approach is labeled “visibility reduction NA”.

Based off of PLANING weather, even if tower tells you they are 0-0, you can still INITIATE the approach

ALTERNATES
- Do not need to plan if the WORST WEATHER is greater than +400-1 from the minimums depicted for the approach!!!

Alternate is required if:

• planning weather is not +400-1
• NAVAID is unmonitored IFR SUP
• Radar required for approach TLA/TPP

VFR exception - an alternate (trumps NAVAID being unmonitored and Radar being needed for approach) is not required if descent from minimum en route altitude for IFR operations, approaches, and landing can be made in VFR conditions.

Check NOTAMS fro abnormal NAVAID status!!!

Minimum altitude for IFR operations:

• MEA on airway
• MOCA on airway within 22 NM of NAVAID
• Published feeder route
• IAP segment minimum alt.
• MEA as determined by Pilot when “direct” route using a VFR sectional

Alternate planning

• MIA (where your minimum flight level is)
• airport elevation
• required VFR clearance

Ex) MIA - Airport Elev + VFR cloud clearance (below) = rounded to the nearest whole (higher) altitude for weather minimums for alternate (when looking at worst case weather in area). Always 3NM vis minimum.

Question 3

Alternate selection

Answer 3

Use Forecast Weather (TAF)
Use worst Weather
Ceiling and Vis requirements:
- Forecast weather for IAP to be flown must be equal to or greater than 400-1 above planning minimums
Forecast Valid Time (ETA plus 1 hour)
Use Area Forecast if TAF is unavailable

Alternate airfield:
- weather forecast worst is equal to or greater than 400-1 above weather planning minimums
- GPS based approach can be used at either the destination or alternate, but NOT BOTH.
- radar is not required for the approach
- does not have an (Alternate NA) in the pilot briefing section
- NAVAIDs are monitored
- Surface-based controlled airspace (B,C,D, or E) is in effect
VFR exception,
- Airfield may be selected if worst weather is greater than VFR minimums and descent from en route alt. For IFR operation, approach, landing can be made in VFR conditions. Allows an approach to be used even if the requirements above cannot be met.

TLA has innop. components visual adjustment section for any NOTAMS that depict an issue with an ALS, etc. add on extra visibility before doing any reduction for a category A copter.