Supposed to do long solo xc today...

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GauzeGuy

Pre-takeoff checklist
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GauzeGuy
Well, I *was* going to do KAPA - KPUB - KLAA. Woke up and:

KAPA 151553Z 29004KT 10SM BKN029 01/M02 A3040
KMNH 151611Z AUTO 36009KT 10SM SCT009 OVC022 00/M01 A3038
KAFF 151555Z 35011KT 270V360 10SM BKN012 BKN018 BKN023 03/M02 A3038

Don't think this will be happening today. The wx and ceilings further out are much better, but it feels like my presolo days all over again: get ready to go and the wx acts up. :rolleyes2:
 
Weather does that, even after your checkride. I had to cancel a trip to San Diego because of 2000 foot ceilings over most of the route, in mountainous terrain.

It will eventually happen.
 
Can someone break down those numbers/columns and explain what they mean?
 
I feel like I just got unhooked from the matrix and am staring at the screen with all the rolling numbers wondering what im looking at all the while "tank" is looking at the screen seeing actual information.... lol
 
You're a student pilot, I presume.

That's a set of METARs. Google that to find a decoder. You'll need to have it reasonably memorized.

It shows low ceilings at all three airports. All three airports are VFR (KAFF only barely), but that's not a very safe flight.
 
MAKG1 said:
You're a student pilot, I presume.

That's a set of METARs. Google that to find a decoder. You'll need to have it reasonably memorized.

It shows low ceilings at all three airports. All three airports are VFR (KAFF only barely), but that's not a very safe flight.
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Correct! 15.7 hours in.

So you can just look at that and know if its safe to fly?
 
GauzeGuy said:
Well, I *was* going to do KAPA - KPUB - KLAA. Woke up and:

KAPA 151553Z 29004KT 10SM BKN029 01/M02 A3040
KMNH 151611Z AUTO 36009KT 10SM SCT009 OVC022 00/M01 A3038
KAFF 151555Z 35011KT 270V360 10SM BKN012 BKN018 BKN023 03/M02 A3038

Don't think this will be happening today. The wx and ceilings further out are much better, but it feels like my presolo days all over again: get ready to go and the wx acts up. :rolleyes2:
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Jhernandez04 said:
Can someone break down those numbers/columns and explain what they mean?
Click to expand...

Lets see if I can do this quickly for the first one:
1. KAPA is the airport code
2. 151553Z is the date (15th) and time (1553) in Zulu time (z)
3. 29004kts is the wind direction (290) relative to true north, so you have to add/subtract the magnetic variance for where the airport is located. 4kts is the speed of the wind.
4. 10SM is the visibility
5. BKN 029 is broken clouds (read: nearly overcast) at flight level 029 or 2900ft
6. 01/M02 is the temperature 01 and dew point M02 (for -2) in degrees Celsius
7. A3040 is the altimeter setting: 30.40

Like MAKG1 said, find a METAR decoder. There's a lot more to know than what I typed above. The Aviation Weather site has a "decoded" METAR that you can use too, it breaks it down item by item. Great for learning: http://aviationweather.gov/adds/metars/

Enjoy your training!!
 
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numl0ck said:
Lets see if I can do this quickly for the first one:
1. KAPA is the airport code
2. 151553Z is the date (15th) and time (1553) in Zulu time (z)
3. 29004kts is the wind direction (290) in true magnetic heading, so you have to add/subtract the magnetic variance for where the airport is located. 4kts is the speed of the wind.
4. 10SM is the visibility
5. BKN 029 is broken clouds (read: nearly overcast) at flight level 029 or 2900ft
6. 01/M02 is the temperature 01 and dew point M02 (for -2) in degrees Celsius
7. A3040 is the altimeter setting: 30.40

Like MAKG1 said, find a METAR decoder. There's a lot more to know than what I typed above. The Aviation Weather site has a "decoded" METAR that you can use too, it breaks it down item by item. Great for learning: http://aviationweather.gov/adds/metars/

Enjoy your training!!
Click to expand...


Wow thank you sir!
 
Jhernandez04 said:
Wow thank you sir!
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No problem! METAR is a great way to convey a lot of information in a very short statement, but it doesn't give you the whole picture, just a snapshot in time.
 
I hear you. I've canceled a lot of my XC's lately due to ceilings. My erstwhile CFI did mention that sometimes I can just go over the top, I'm looking for good days to do that, but as was said earlier, weather's a b(eye)tch ;)
 
a-HA! Another member of Colorado POA! I think it's time (once I get the cylinders overhauled and installed - maybe early December?) for another CO-POA Meet. Flying or driving, whatever.

Of course my car's in the shop too, after rear-ending a Suburban. Not a scratch on the tank, and over $7K damage (all cosmetic plastic & the air bag) to my car. And a mandatory appearance in court. But there was one truly amazing aspect to the accident - I met the One and Only Really Nice Denver Police Officer.
 
MAKG1 said:
You're a student pilot, I presume.

That's a set of METARs. Google that to find a decoder. You'll need to have it reasonably memorized.

It shows low ceilings at all three airports. All three airports are VFR (KAFF only barely), but that's not a very safe flight.
Click to expand...

KMNH isn't really an airport altho the weather station is at an airport (Kelly Airpark CO15 which is a private airpark). Out here there are a number of stations that aren't associated with an airport. For example, K4BM is Wilkerson Pass, not far from South Park, CO. (Yes, there really is a South Park!). K7BM is Cottonwood Pass. Yet when you look for aviation weather for Salida, CO (KANK), you get the AWOS on Monarch Pass.

Confusing but you get used to it.
 
Do not know about Colorado but there are many a morning in Florida with METARS that are similar or worse and by mid morning the days turns out to be beautiful flying weather. Sometime waiting just an hour makes all the difference in the world.
 
GauzeGuy said:
Well, I *was* going to do KAPA - KPUB - KLAA. Woke up and:

KAPA 151553Z 29004KT 10SM BKN029 01/M02 A3040
KMNH 151611Z AUTO 36009KT 10SM SCT009 OVC022 00/M01 A3038
KAFF 151555Z 35011KT 270V360 10SM BKN012 BKN018 BKN023 03/M02 A3038

Don't think this will be happening today. The wx and ceilings further out are much better, but it feels like my presolo days all over again: get ready to go and the wx acts up. :rolleyes2:
Click to expand...

And KAFF is the USAF Academy. Strange that you'd get the academy report and not KCOS and KPUB.

Nov 15 at 3 pm Zulu time. Winds 11 kts at 350, variable between 270 (due west) and 360 (due north). 10 statute miles visibility, broken at 1200, 1800, 2300 AGL, set your altimeter to 30.38. Due point spread is 3 C (which is a good indicator of icing) and I forget what M02 means.

It also helps to understand the altitude of the reporting stations. For example, APA is at 5800 MSL and Monument at 7040 MSL. Around here that 1200 ft means a lot, considering there an E-W ridge (named Monument aka Black Forest Divide at 7343 MSL) that divides APA and COS/AFF which makes for really strange weather and impacts flying.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
Correct! 15.7 hours in.

So you can just look at that and know if its safe to fly?
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No. It's one set of information. It isn't nearly sufficient to decide a flight is safe. It may tell you clearly that a flight is UNsafe. Any METAR with "+FC" in it means stay on the ground (and find a tornado shelter). "FZRA" is pretty bad for a light aircraft. Very often, it requires some real thought.

Like, can I fly with reported clouds scattered at 1000? It's legal (provided there is also 3 miles visibility -- very common with cumulus clouds), but there are several configurations consistent with that that would be highly problematic, and some that would be completely benign. Can I fly with "VCSH?" Often, the answer is yes, but you have to carefully consider all the variables, especially the potential of descending ceilings.
 
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murphey said:
a-HA! Another member of Colorado POA! I think it's time (once I get the cylinders overhauled and installed - maybe early December?) for another CO-POA Meet. Flying or driving, whatever.
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Sounds good!

murphey said:
Of course my car's in the shop too, after rear-ending a Suburban. Not a scratch on the tank, and over $7K damage (all cosmetic plastic & the air bag) to my car. And a mandatory appearance in court. But there was one truly amazing aspect to the accident - I met the One and Only Really Nice Denver Police Officer.
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Ugh, that totally sucks! Had someone run into me back a year and a half ago, if that doesn't happen again anytime soon I'd be fine with that.

murphey said:
And KAFF is the USAF Academy. Strange that you'd get the academy report and not KCOS and KPUB.
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Oh trust me, I did! And of course, they were fine. However, if the KAPA practice area (which I have to transition to pass to the East of KCOS charlie airspace) is solid IFR, the conditions elsewhere is pretty much a moot point.

Things are slowly getting better, but I only had the aircraft until 1430 and the latest TAF doesn't show the ceiling lifting until 1300; club rules require ceilings of 5000 for student XC solo. Oh well.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
Can someone break down those numbers/columns and explain what they mean?
Click to expand...

This format is going to be the same for your Aerodromes ATIS/ASOS/AWOS. Also, your TAFs are pretty similar as well. Definitely, remember how to decode this format. There is a lot of information out there to learn to decode these.

Learn It, Love It. Live It!
 
douglas393 said:
Do not know about Colorado but there are many a morning in Florida with METARS that are similar or worse and by mid morning the days turns out to be beautiful flying weather. Sometime waiting just an hour makes all the difference in the world.
Click to expand...

Isn't it the truth, what wonderful place to live and fly!
 
murphey said:
a-HA! Another member of Colorado POA! I think it's time (once I get the cylinders overhauled and installed - maybe early December?) for another CO-POA Meet. Flying or driving, whatever.

Of course my car's in the shop too, after rear-ending a Suburban. Not a scratch on the tank, and over $7K damage (all cosmetic plastic & the air bag) to my car. And a mandatory appearance in court. But there was one truly amazing aspect to the accident - I met the One and Only Really Nice Denver Police Officer.
Click to expand...

I'd try to make that, if you'll have someone who's flown a whole TWO discovery flights....
 
numl0ck said:
Lets see if I can do this quickly for the first one:
1. KAPA is the airport code
2. 151553Z is the date (15th) and time (1553) in Zulu time (z)
3. 29004kts is the wind direction (290) relative to true north, so you have to add/subtract the magnetic variance for where the airport is located. 4kts is the speed of the wind.
4. 10SM is the visibility
5. BKN 029 is broken clouds (read: nearly overcast) at flight level 029 or 2900ft
6. 01/M02 is the temperature 01 and dew point M02 (for -2) in degrees Celsius
7. A3040 is the altimeter setting: 30.40

Like MAKG1 said, find a METAR decoder. There's a lot more to know than what I typed above. The Aviation Weather site has a "decoded" METAR that you can use too, it breaks it down item by item. Great for learning: http://aviationweather.gov/adds/metars/

Enjoy your training!!
Click to expand...

you're good enough to be a pilot. ;)
 
Wait a sec, there was flyable IMC and I missed it?! LOL.

(Kidding... I don't know it was flyable, I just know this week at work has been nutty schedule-wise.)

This weekend's weather is looking pretty good. Where we all going?
 
denverpilot said:
Wait a sec, there was flyable IMC and I missed it?! LOL.

(Kidding... I don't know it was flyable, I just know this week at work has been nutty schedule-wise.)

This weekend's weather is looking pretty good. Where we all going?
Click to expand...

I'll need a ride unless it's someplace I can drive.
 
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