March 30, 2005
Radar image for the Bay area
Posted by Elie at 05:53 PM
March 18, 2005
Useful frequencies in the Bay Area
Emergency frequency 121.5
San Carlos (KSQL)
Atis 125.9
Tower 119.0
Ground 121.6
Palo Alto (KPAO)
Atis 135.27
Tower 118.6
Ground 125.0
Hayward (KHWD)
Atis 126.7
Tower 120.2
Ground 121.4
Livermore (KLVK)
Atis 119.65
Tower 118.1
Ground 121.6
Half Moon Bay (KHAF)
CTAF 122.8
Byron (C83)
AWOS 123.775
CTAF 123.05
Tracy (KTCY)
AWOS 118.375
CTAF 122.8
Open flight plan 122.5
Frequencies of the major general aviation airports in the Bay Area
Posted by Elie at 09:30 PM
March 13, 2005
Decoding METARs
| BC | Patches |
| BL | Blowing |
| DR | Low drifting |
| FZ | Freezing or super-cooled |
| MI | Shallow |
| PR | Partial |
| SH | Showers |
| TS | Thunderstorm |
| BR | Mist |
| DS | Dust storm |
| DU | Widespread dust |
| DZ | Drizzle |
| FC | Funnel cloud |
| +FC | Tornado or waterspout |
| FG | Fog |
| FU | Smoke |
| GR | Hail |
| GS | Small hail or snow pellets |
| HZ | Haze |
| IC | Ice crystals |
| PE | Ice pellets |
| PO | Dust or sand devils |
| PY | Spray |
| RA | Rain |
| SA | Sand |
| SG | Snow grains |
| SN | Snow |
| SQ | Squall |
| SS | Sand storm |
| UP | Precipitation type unknown |
| VA | Volcanic ash |
| Minus sign | Light |
| No sign | Moderate |
| Plus sign | Heavy |
| CB | Cumulonimbus |
| CIR | Cirrus |
| TCU | Towering cumulus |
Cloud coverage is reported in octas. One octa is one eighth of the sky
| BKN | Broken (5 to 7 octas) |
| CLR | Clear |
| FEW | Few (zero to 2 octas) |
| OVC | Overcast (more than 7 octas) |
| SCT | Scattered (3 to 4 octas) |
| SKC | Sky clear |
| VV | Vertical visibility (indefinite ceiling) |
| AO1 | Automated observation without precipitation discriminator |
| AO2 | Automated observation with precipitation discriminator |
| AMD | Amended forecast |
| B | Used as suffix to indicate minute when precipitation started Example: RAB12 - rain began at 12 minutes past the hour |
| BECMG | Becoming |
| BINOVC | Breaks in overcast |
| COR | Correction to the observation |
| E | Used as suffix to indicate minute when precipitation ended Example: SNE45 - snow ended at 45 minutes past the hour |
| FLDURC | [Flight level] during climb, as given in a pilot report |
| FLDURD | [Flight level] during descent, as given in a pilot report |
| FM | From |
| LDG | Landing |
| NO | Used as a suffix to other codes, meaning not available. Example: RVRNO |
| NSW | No significant weather (means only that
previously reported precipitation or obstruction to visibility has ended) |
| PK WND | Peak wind |
| PROB | Probability (followed by two-digit percentage) |
| PRESFR | Pressure falling rapidly |
| R | Runway used in RVR measurement |
| RY | Runway |
| RWY | Runway |
| RVR | Runway visual range, in feet, as measured by
an optical transmissometer |
| SLP | Sea level pressure, followed by the last three digits in millibars and
tenths Examples: SLP041 - 1004.1 mb; SLP 986 - 998.6 mb |
| T | Sometimes used in place of TO (see below) |
| TEMPO | Temporarily, followed by two pairs of digits giving the hours between
which the forecast conditions are expected. "Temporarily" means
that the conditions may occur only during part of the period Example: TEMPO1315 +SHRA - temporarily, heavy rain showers between 1300 and 1500Z |
| TKOF | Takeoff |
| TO | Used in remarks to give temperature to the nearest tenth of a degree,
followed by two groups of four digits. In each group, the first digit is
either a zero (above freezing) or a 1 (below freezing), and the other three
digits give the temperature value in Celsius Example TO00311074 - temperature +3.1 C, dew point -7.4 C |
| V | Varies (used to modify wind direction or RVR) Example: RVR 600 V 1200 - runway visual range varies from 600 to 1200 feet |
| VC | Vicinity |
| VRB | Variable wind direction when wind speed is less than six knots |
| WS | Wind shear |
Review the signification of most codes for decrypting METARs
Posted by Elie at 11:38 PM
February 23, 2005
Pilot Mnemonic Reminders
We put these useful mnemonics check lists together for our own needs. We thought that you could also benefit from them when flying N236SP.
CIGAR - Runup Or Ground Check
Controls check, Instruments set, Gas (fuel on proper tank, pump on), Attitude (flaps and trim set) and Runup (magnetos check)
Lights, Camera, Action - Before Takeoff
Lights (strobe, landing light, and navigation lights). Camera is the transponder. Action is for mixture, fuel boost pump, flaps and trim.
BLITTS - Before Takeoff
Boost pump and mixture, Lights, Instruments set, Transponder, Time and Safety (seatbelts, doors and windows)
Charlie GUMPS - Before landing
Carb heat, Gas (fuel on the proper tank and pump), Undercarriage, Mixture, Propeller, Safety (doors, windows, seat belts)
CCCC - Go-Around
Cram it, clean it, cool it, and call it. Cram it refers to adding full power. Clean it refers to retracting flaps (in increments) and landing gear. Cool it is a reminder to open the cowl flaps / carb heat, and call it refers to announcing your action.
FACTS - After Landing
Flaps up, Auxiliary fuel pump off, Cowl flaps open and/or carburetor heat off, Transponder to standby, and Switches (pitot heat off and lights as required).
MIDGET - Securing The Aircraft
Master switch off, Ignition (magnetos) off, Doors and windows latched, Gust lock installed, ELT off, and Tiedowns secured.
A list of useful mnemonic reminders, such as the famous GUMPS but also others. Have you heard about CIGAR - although you are not supposed to smoke in the plane?
Posted by Elie at 11:54 PM