ATSC 113 EXAM STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 100% CORRECT
⫸ True or false: when photos of clouds are taken at slant or oblique
angles, the cloud coverage looks greater than it actually is. Answer:
True
⫸ For low clouds of _________ or __________ coverage, cloud-
base height above ground defines the cloud __________. Answer:
Broken, overcast, ceiling
⫸ Which device can we use to determine ceiling altitude? Answer:
Laser ceilometer
⫸ If someone uses the word "visibility" with no preceding adjective,
what are they referring to? Answer: Horizontal visibility
⫸ Runway visual range (RVR) is most similar to which of these
terms:
- slant visibility
- cloud ceiling altitude
- horizontal visibility
- vertical visibility
- none of the above Answer: Horizontal visibility
,⫸ How is ceiling related to visibility? Answer: An indefinite ceiling
equals the vertical visibility if the sky is obscured
⫸ Flying by looking at the ground for reference is abbreviated as:
Answer: VFR
⫸ If a VFR pilot flies into IMC (instrument meteorological
conditions - fly primarily by reference to instruments), the likely
outcome is that the pilot:
- loses their pilots license
- loses control of the aircraft
- can continue flight like normal
- falls out of the aircraft
- must make a U-turn to fly back Answer: Loses control of the aircraft
⫸ When flying IFR (aircraft permitted to operate in IMC), can you
safely fly through volcanic ash? Answer: No!
⫸ What does atmosphere stability refer to? Answer: Whether the air
will become or stay turbulent
⫸ Suppose an air parcel is pushed vertically a small distance away
from its starting altitude, if this parcel is in statically STABLE air,
then it would tend to: Answer: Return to its starting altitude
, ⫸ If CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) were large (>
2000 J/kg) then you could anticipate that the following factor might
affect your flight:
- Strong thunderstorms are likely
- Turbulence could be weak in clouds
- Being near a cost line
- There is a coating of ice that acts like a cape over your wings
- Air is statically stable Answer: Strong thunderstorms are likely
⫸ The weather associated with occluded fronts is most like the
weather in:
- dry lines
- both cold and warm fronts
- cold fronts
- stationary fronts
- warm fronts Answer: Both cold and warm fronts
⫸ What kind of clouds are expected for warm fronts? Answer:
Stratiform clouds
⫸ What are the characteristics of the mature stage in the
thunderstorm life cycle? Answer: Both up and downdrafts + rain +
anvil (cumulonimbus cloud which has a flat, anvil-top shape)
⫸ What are the three types of basic storms? Answer: Single cell,
multicell and orographic
AND ANSWERS 100% CORRECT
⫸ True or false: when photos of clouds are taken at slant or oblique
angles, the cloud coverage looks greater than it actually is. Answer:
True
⫸ For low clouds of _________ or __________ coverage, cloud-
base height above ground defines the cloud __________. Answer:
Broken, overcast, ceiling
⫸ Which device can we use to determine ceiling altitude? Answer:
Laser ceilometer
⫸ If someone uses the word "visibility" with no preceding adjective,
what are they referring to? Answer: Horizontal visibility
⫸ Runway visual range (RVR) is most similar to which of these
terms:
- slant visibility
- cloud ceiling altitude
- horizontal visibility
- vertical visibility
- none of the above Answer: Horizontal visibility
,⫸ How is ceiling related to visibility? Answer: An indefinite ceiling
equals the vertical visibility if the sky is obscured
⫸ Flying by looking at the ground for reference is abbreviated as:
Answer: VFR
⫸ If a VFR pilot flies into IMC (instrument meteorological
conditions - fly primarily by reference to instruments), the likely
outcome is that the pilot:
- loses their pilots license
- loses control of the aircraft
- can continue flight like normal
- falls out of the aircraft
- must make a U-turn to fly back Answer: Loses control of the aircraft
⫸ When flying IFR (aircraft permitted to operate in IMC), can you
safely fly through volcanic ash? Answer: No!
⫸ What does atmosphere stability refer to? Answer: Whether the air
will become or stay turbulent
⫸ Suppose an air parcel is pushed vertically a small distance away
from its starting altitude, if this parcel is in statically STABLE air,
then it would tend to: Answer: Return to its starting altitude
, ⫸ If CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) were large (>
2000 J/kg) then you could anticipate that the following factor might
affect your flight:
- Strong thunderstorms are likely
- Turbulence could be weak in clouds
- Being near a cost line
- There is a coating of ice that acts like a cape over your wings
- Air is statically stable Answer: Strong thunderstorms are likely
⫸ The weather associated with occluded fronts is most like the
weather in:
- dry lines
- both cold and warm fronts
- cold fronts
- stationary fronts
- warm fronts Answer: Both cold and warm fronts
⫸ What kind of clouds are expected for warm fronts? Answer:
Stratiform clouds
⫸ What are the characteristics of the mature stage in the
thunderstorm life cycle? Answer: Both up and downdrafts + rain +
anvil (cumulonimbus cloud which has a flat, anvil-top shape)
⫸ What are the three types of basic storms? Answer: Single cell,
multicell and orographic
