ATSC 113 Assessment Test Questions
and Answers
Rawinsonde - Answer-Balloons launched with sonde sensors and radios for upper air
soundings of temperature, humidity, and pressure. Eventually burst and the balloon falls
by parachute.
Size fronts can reach - Answer-1000s km long, 15 km altitude
VFR, MVFR, IFR conditions - Answer-VFR: vis > 5 SM and ceiling > 3000 ft
MVFR: vis 3-5 SM and/or ceiling 1000-3000 ft
IFR: vis < 3 SM and/or ceiling < 1000 ft
Cloud cover abbreviations - Answer-0 oktas: SKC, sky is clear
1-2 oktas: FEW, few clouds
3-4 oktas: SCT, scattered clouds
5-7 oktas: BKN, broken clouds
8 oktas: OVC, overcast
Ceiling - Answer-Ceiling for VFR flight. Altitude of the lowest overcast/broken cloud
base (≥ 5 oktas) below 20K ft (6000 m)
Traditional ceilometer - Answer-Shine a light on the cloud base and change the angle
until it hits directly above a detector. Use trig to measure height of cloud base.
Laser ceilometer - Answer-Send a burst of light to the cloud base and measure how
long it takes to reflect back.
Transmissometer - Answer-Shine a light across a known path to a detector. Measure
how much dimmer it is than when air is clean, to find visibility
When is runway visual range reported? - Answer-Visibility < 6000 ft (2000 m)
CAVOK - Answer-Ceiling and visibility OK for VFR
Visibility unlimited/OK - Answer-Visibility ≥ 10 km (6 SM)
Vertical visibility - Answer-Limit you can see vertically when sky is obscured and ceiling
is indefinite. Report VV instead of ceiling.
Laminar - Answer-Non turbulent
Adiabatic lapse rate - Answer-9.8°C/km (cools when rising, warms when sinking)
and Answers
Rawinsonde - Answer-Balloons launched with sonde sensors and radios for upper air
soundings of temperature, humidity, and pressure. Eventually burst and the balloon falls
by parachute.
Size fronts can reach - Answer-1000s km long, 15 km altitude
VFR, MVFR, IFR conditions - Answer-VFR: vis > 5 SM and ceiling > 3000 ft
MVFR: vis 3-5 SM and/or ceiling 1000-3000 ft
IFR: vis < 3 SM and/or ceiling < 1000 ft
Cloud cover abbreviations - Answer-0 oktas: SKC, sky is clear
1-2 oktas: FEW, few clouds
3-4 oktas: SCT, scattered clouds
5-7 oktas: BKN, broken clouds
8 oktas: OVC, overcast
Ceiling - Answer-Ceiling for VFR flight. Altitude of the lowest overcast/broken cloud
base (≥ 5 oktas) below 20K ft (6000 m)
Traditional ceilometer - Answer-Shine a light on the cloud base and change the angle
until it hits directly above a detector. Use trig to measure height of cloud base.
Laser ceilometer - Answer-Send a burst of light to the cloud base and measure how
long it takes to reflect back.
Transmissometer - Answer-Shine a light across a known path to a detector. Measure
how much dimmer it is than when air is clean, to find visibility
When is runway visual range reported? - Answer-Visibility < 6000 ft (2000 m)
CAVOK - Answer-Ceiling and visibility OK for VFR
Visibility unlimited/OK - Answer-Visibility ≥ 10 km (6 SM)
Vertical visibility - Answer-Limit you can see vertically when sky is obscured and ceiling
is indefinite. Report VV instead of ceiling.
Laminar - Answer-Non turbulent
Adiabatic lapse rate - Answer-9.8°C/km (cools when rising, warms when sinking)
