| When an individual focuses on becoming a pilot their | | | | enjoys hearing about a warm front moving in. For the |
| desire becomes the main emphasis and sort of | | | | pilot it means they are more spread out and if they |
| forgetting all that is going to be involved in attaining the | | | | are slow moving, particularly they will bring precipitation |
| goal of becoming a private pilot. There is much to be | | | | and poor visibility. A most annoying condition is when |
| learned before one can achieve success in this field. | | | | the front becomes stationery. This means it has |
| Many factors must be considered prior to soaring into | | | | virtually come to a spot. The outcome of this is a mist |
| the wild blue yonder. | | | | producing poor visibility for the pilot. In most cases |
| One very important aspect of flying is weather | | | | though the weather will be non-violent and creating no |
| conditions. Perhaps in the past, you never gave much | | | | turbulence. |
| of a thought about how the weather was going to be | | | | Every pilot must give strict attention to air pressure. |
| but once you become a pilot that is a major | | | | The more favorable flying conditions take place in the |
| consideration you will have to make prior to every | | | | cooler temperatures where one finds cumulus clouds. |
| plane trip you venture out on. | | | | Attempts should always be made to fly in the cooler |
| First, you will have to learn about the various air | | | | segments of air pressure. |
| masses and fronts that occur. These are dependant | | | | A pilot must always remain keenly aware of potential |
| on their location and there are the tropical and polar air | | | | weather problems. This includes winds, turbulence, |
| masses. In addition, you must learn that when | | | | reduced ceiling, poor visibility, and icing up. Although we |
| reference to air mass over water it is called maritime | | | | have amazing weather forecasting capabilities we are |
| and then over land its known as continental. Finally, it | | | | still a long way from being perfect. For example, the |
| will be categorized as warm or cold. The path that the | | | | weatherman cannot predict the location of severe |
| air mass follows dictates what it will become. It stands | | | | turbulence, and icing. It is not possible yet to predict |
| to reason a mass over water is going to pick up more | | | | thunderstorms before they occur, or the presence of |
| moisture. Along a masses journey it will meet up with | | | | fog. An accurate estimate of these conditions taking |
| some of the different types. To separate these | | | | place can be made up to 24 hours of the event, but |
| variations there is what is called a front. In respect to | | | | not really beyond that. |
| flying, a cold front produces better flying conditions. For | | | | The wise pilot should be aware that the current clear |
| the most part, it will be clean, heavy, and stable and | | | | weather forecast is only reliable for the next 24-hour |
| smooth which creates good clear visibility to make | | | | period. A poor weather prediction will cover a time |
| optimum flying conditions. As the fronts move quickly, | | | | span of about 3-4 hours. Finally, when it comes down |
| they can turn quickly into violent thunderstorms. | | | | to predictions of ceiling and visibility the information can |
| Everybody when it comes to terms of weather | | | | only be relied on for the first 2-3 hours. |