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Private pilot · ACS PA.I.C · Instructor lesson plan

Weather Information

Student pack: Train: Weather Information · Full lesson: Prepare guide

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1 · Objective

By the end of this lesson your student can explain weather information in their own words and apply it to a realistic flight, to the ACS standard for PA.I.C.

Why it matters for safety: Weather is behind a large share of fatal general aviation accidents, especially VFR flight into instrument conditions. Most of those flights started with a briefing that showed the risk. This task is about turning weather information into a clear decision, and having the discipline to stick to it in the air.

2 · Assign before the lesson

Pre-work: the free Train pack, Weather Information. Get a real briefing, read the products, understand the hazards, and make the go/no-go call.

Anyone can open this link, no account needed. To see who trained it on your roster, use a free instructor account.

Pack: pilotprep.pro/train/ppl/weather-information · Full lesson: pilotprep.pro/prepare/ppl/weather-information

3 · Teach sequence

Key points to land

  • Before every flight, become familiar with all available information. For any flight that includes runway lengths and takeoff and landing distance data; for IFR or a flight not in the vicinity of an airport it also includes weather reports and forecasts, fuel requirements, alternatives, and known ATC delays.(14 CFR 91.103(a)-(b))
  • Brief from FAA and NWS products: call Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF), or self-brief through 1800wxbrief.com, aviationweather.gov or an EFB showing those products, in the standard-briefing order. Noting the time and source of your briefing is good practice.(AC 91-92; AIM 7-1-4)
  • Observations tell you what is (METAR, SPECI, PIREPs); forecasts tell you what's expected (TAF, GFA, winds aloft, convective outlook).(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • AIRMETs warn of conditions hazardous mostly to light aircraft (Sierra: IFR and mountain obscuration; Tango: turbulence, strong surface winds, low-level wind shear; Zulu: icing and freezing level). SIGMETs and Convective SIGMETs warn of more severe hazards.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Thunderstorms need moisture, unstable air and a lifting force. Avoid any thunderstorm identified as severe, or giving an intense radar echo, by at least 20 miles, and treat every thunderstorm as hazardous.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services; AIM 7-1-27)
  • Datalinked radar in the cockpit can be many minutes old: use it to stay far away from storms, never to pick a path through them.(AIM chapter 7, Meteorology)
  • Set personal minimums before you look at the weather, and decide in advance what would make you divert.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))

Where weather comes from

  • The National Weather Service produces the observations and forecasts; the Aviation Weather Center (aviationweather.gov) publishes the aviation products.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Choose the briefing type: a standard briefing when you have no earlier briefing (normally within about 6 hours of departure); an abbreviated briefing to update one you already have or answer one or two items (say when and where you got the first); an outlook briefing when departure is 6 or more hours away, for planning only, followed later by a standard or abbreviated one.(AIM 7-1-5; AC 91-92)
  • If a briefer says "VFR flight not recommended", treat it as a strong no-go signal and re-plan.(AIM 7-1-5)
  • A complete self-briefing from FAA/NWS products, on a website or an EFB, can meet 91.103; Flight Service is there to consult, not the only legal route. Know where your app's data comes from and how old it is.(AC 91-92; AIM 7-1-4)

The products

  • METAR: a routine hourly observation at an airport. SPECI: a special observation when conditions change significantly.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • PIREP: what pilots actually encountered (turbulence, icing, cloud tops). Often the best information you'll get; give them too.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • TAF: the forecast for 5 statute miles around an airport, usually for 24 or 30 hours.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA): the set of observations and forecasts for the contiguous U.S. (clouds, weather, icing, turbulence and winds) that replaced the old text area forecast.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28); AIM 7-1-7)
  • The SPC Convective Outlook forecasts the risk of severe thunderstorms by category (general thunderstorms, marginal, slight, enhanced, moderate, high) for Day 1, with Day 2 and 3 outlooks; it isn't just a chance of any thunderstorm.(AIM 7-1-7; SPC)
  • Surface analysis: fronts and pressure systems. Ceiling and visibility (CVA): current ceilings and visibility over an area.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Winds and temperatures aloft (FB): forecast winds and temperatures at set altitudes. No winds are forecast within 1,500 feet of the station elevation, no temperatures within 2,500 feet, and no temperature at the 3,000-foot level. A blank group means not forecast, not calm.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Convective outlook: the chance of thunderstorms over the next days. AIRMETs, SIGMETs and Convective SIGMETs: in-flight advisories for hazards.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Every product has limits: TAFs cover only near the airport, forecasts can be wrong, and observations are a snapshot. Cross-check them.(Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))

The weather itself

  • Stable air: stratiform clouds, smooth air, poor visibility in haze or fog. Unstable air: cumuliform clouds, turbulence, good visibility outside showers.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)
  • Fronts mark boundaries between air masses; expect wind shifts, clouds and precipitation as one passes.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)
  • Fog forms when temperature and dew point come together (it seldom forms with a spread over about 2°C): radiation fog on clear calm nights; advection fog when moist air moves over a cooler surface; upslope fog when air is pushed uphill; steam fog (sea smoke) when cold air moves over warm water; precipitation-induced fog when rain evaporates into cool air, common ahead of warm fronts; and ice fog in very cold air. It is reported as fog below 5/8 statute mile visibility, as mist (BR) above that.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services; Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28))
  • Thunderstorms bring turbulence, hail, lightning, wind shear and microbursts. A microburst's downdraft and outflow can exceed an airplane's climb performance.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services; AIM chapter 7, Meteorology)
  • Structural icing needs visible moisture and temperatures at or below freezing. Light airplanes are usually not certified for icing: avoid it.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)
  • Frost on the wings disrupts airflow and raises the stall speed: remove it all before takeoff.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)
  • Mountain wave and strong winds over terrain cause severe turbulence and downdrafts on the lee side.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)

Weather in the cockpit

  • ADS-B (FIS-B, 978 MHz UAT) and satellite weather show radar, METARs and TAFs in the cockpit. The age shown on NEXRAD is the age of the mosaic, and the weather in it can be 15 to 20 minutes older than that. Use it for strategic decisions 20 or more minutes ahead, never to thread between cells.(AIM 7-1-10, 7-1-11; NTSB Safety Alert SA-017)
  • In flight you also have Flight Service by radio for updates and hazardous weather, ATC hazardous-weather broadcasts, and ATIS, ASOS and AWOS at airports along the way.(AIM 7-1-5, 7-1-18)
  • Use cockpit weather for strategic decisions (stay far away, divert early), not tactical ones (picking a gap between cells).(AIM chapter 7, Meteorology)

Making the decision

  • Set personal minimums (ceiling, visibility, wind, crosswind) before checking the weather, based on your real experience.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))
  • Decide in advance what would make you turn back or divert: lowering ceilings, a forecast that isn't verifying, a PIREP of icing or turbulence.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))
  • Hazards like forecast icing or turbulence aloft, thunderstorms on the route, or marginal VFR at the destination are no-go or wait signals for a VFR pilot.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)
  • Have an out: an alternate airport and enough fuel to use it.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services)

Reading METARs and TAFs

  • The ceiling is the lowest broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC) layer, or vertical visibility (VV) into an obscuration. Scattered (SCT) is not a ceiling.(AIM 7-1-30; PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 13)
  • A TAF covers the area within 5 statute miles of the runway complex, is issued four times a day and is valid 24 hours (30 at some large airports). Read it by the change group in effect when you arrive: FM (a rapid change to new conditions), BECMG (a gradual change), TEMPO (temporary changes, each under an hour and in total less than half the period), PROB30/40 (a probability).(AIM 7-1-31; PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 13)
  • A SPECI is an unscheduled METAR issued for a significant change, such as a ceiling or visibility crossing a threshold, a wind shift, or a thunderstorm beginning or ending.(AIM 7-1-29)

Advisories and when they apply

  • AIRMET Sierra: widespread ceilings below 1,000 feet and/or visibility below 3 miles, and mountain obscuration. Tango: moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds of 30 knots or more, and nonconvective low-level wind shear. Zulu: moderate icing and freezing levels.(AIM 7-1-6)
  • SIGMET: severe icing, severe or extreme turbulence, dust or sandstorms, or volcanic ash, hazardous to all aircraft. Convective SIGMET: severe thunderstorms (surface winds 50 knots or more, hail 3/4 inch or more, or tornadoes), embedded thunderstorms, lines of thunderstorms, or widespread thunderstorms with heavy precipitation; it implies severe turbulence, severe icing and low-level wind shear.(AIM 7-1-6)

Weather theory you apply

  • Thunderstorm life cycle: cumulus (updrafts only), mature (updrafts and downdrafts, precipitation begins, the most violent stage), dissipating (downdrafts dominate).(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 12; Aviation Weather Handbook, Ch. 22)
  • Thunderstorm avoidance in full: at least 20 miles from a severe storm or intense echo, especially under the anvil (hail falls in clear air); tops at or above 35,000 feet are extremely hazardous; don't fly between echoes less than 40 miles apart, don't fly under a thunderstorm, and go around areas with 6/10 or more coverage.(AIM 7-1-27; AC 00-24)
  • Fronts by type. Cold front: cumuliform clouds, showers and thunderstorms (sometimes a squall line ahead), turbulence, a sharp wind shift and temperature drop, good visibility behind. Warm front: widespread stratiform clouds, steady precipitation, poor visibility, smooth air, and possibly embedded thunderstorms. Stationary fronts bring long periods of the same weather; occluded fronts combine both, often with embedded storms.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 12; Aviation Weather Handbook, Chs. 10-11)
  • Air masses take on the character of where they formed (cold or warm, dry or moist), and their stability decides the weather. Reading the surface analysis for air masses and fronts lets you predict what you'll fly into.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 12)
  • Temperature and inversions: temperature normally drops about 2°C per 1,000 feet; an inversion (warm air over cold) traps haze, smoke and fog below it, gives smooth air above, and can bring low-level wind shear. A small temperature/dew point spread warns of fog and low cloud bases.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 12)
  • Clouds by family: high (cirrus types), middle (alto-), low (stratus, stratocumulus, nimbostratus), and clouds of vertical development (towering cumulus and cumulonimbus, with turbulence, icing and thunderstorms). Precipitation types include rain, drizzle, snow, freezing rain and hail; freezing rain means warmer air above you.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 12; Aviation Weather Handbook)
  • Obstructions to visibility: fog and mist (BR), haze, smoke, smog, dust and sand, spray, and volcanic ash, which also damages engines and airframes.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Ch. 12; Aviation Weather Handbook)

4 · Ask your student

In order: recall, then understanding, then applying it. Move up only when the answer shows it.

  1. Recall · What does a TAF cover?

    A strong answer: A forecast for 5 statute miles around an airport, usually for 24 or 30 hours.

  2. Understand · Why is a PIREP often more useful than a forecast?

    A strong answer: It's what a pilot actually found up there, like cloud tops, turbulence or icing, rather than a prediction. It shows whether the forecast is verifying.

  3. Apply · Your destination TAF shows a ceiling dropping to 1,500 broken by your arrival time, and your personal minimum is 2,500. What do you do?

    A strong answer: That's below my minimum, so I don't plan to arrive then. I leave earlier, wait, or pick a different destination, and I plan an alternate with fuel to reach it.

Scenarios to talk through

  • Your planned route has an AIRMET Zulu for icing from 6,000 to 12,000 feet. You planned to cruise at 7,500. What do you do?

    Sound decision: Your airplane almost certainly isn't certified for icing. Plan a lower altitude well below the freezing level if terrain and clouds allow, or don't go. Never plan to fly in visible moisture at or below freezing.

  • In flight, your tablet shows a gap between two thunderstorm cells ahead. Do you go through the gap?

    Sound decision: No. Datalinked radar can be many minutes old and the gap may have closed. Stay well clear (20 miles from severe storms) or divert.

  • Early morning, clear skies, calm wind, and the temperature/dew point spread at your destination is 1°C and closing. What should you expect?

    Sound decision: Radiation fog is likely. Plan to wait until it burns off, or pick an alternate, and carry fuel for it.

  • Halfway there, the ceiling ahead is lower than forecast and you're descending to stay clear of clouds. What's happening, and what do you do?

    Sound decision: The forecast isn't verifying and you're being forced lower: the classic setup for VFR into IMC. Turn around or divert now, while you still have options, and tell ATC or Flight Service.

5 · Common student errors

  • Looking at the weather and then deciding what your minimums are.

    Why it matters: Get-there-itis will lower them every time.

    How to correct it: Write your personal minimums down beforehand, and go by them.

  • Using cockpit radar to thread between storms.

    Why it matters: The picture can be many minutes old.

    How to correct it: Use it to stay far away and divert early.

  • Checking only the destination TAF.

    Why it matters: Hazards en route (icing, turbulence, convection) and the departure and alternate matter too.

    How to correct it: Get a full briefing: observations, forecasts, advisories and PIREPs along the whole route.

6 · Completion standard

  • Your student answers each "Ask your student" question in their own words, up to the Apply level, without prompting.
  • They talk through the scenarios and reach a safe, legal decision, explaining why.
  • They complete the pack’s quick check and can say what they flagged.

Area trained? Close out with a practice oral focused on PA.I.C: pilotprep.pro/exam?exam=PPL&focus=PA.I.C

7 · References

  • Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28)
  • Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Weather Theory; Aviation Weather Services
  • AIM, Chapter 7, Meteorology
  • AC 91-92, Pilot's Guide to a Preflight Briefing
  • 14 CFR 91.103
  • Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A)
  • Airman Certification Standards, task PA.I.C

PilotPrep instructor lesson plan, from the Weather Information lesson (checked against current FAA sources 2026-11-12). A study and teaching aid, not FAA guidance; teach to your own judgment and the current ACS.