ATPL Aviation Meteorology syllabus by DGCA

Here is the syllabus for ATPL Aviation  meteorology Theory part, conducted by DGCA, as of July 2011.

Aviation Meteorology

1.1 The Atmosphere
a) Composition, extent, vertical division
b) Temperature
– vertical distribution of temperature
– transfer of heat : solar and terrestrial radiation, conduction,
convection, advection and turbulence
– lapse rate, stability and instability
– development of inversions, types of inversions
– temperature near the earth’s surface, surface effects, diurnal
– variation, effect of clouds, effect of wind
c) Atmospheric pressure
– barometric pressure, isobars
– pressure variation with height, contours (isohypses)
– reduction of pressure to mean sea level, QFF
– surface low/upper-air low, surface high/upper-air highprecipitation
d) Atmospheric density: interrelationship of pressure, temperature and
density
e) International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)
f) Altimetry
– pressure altitude, true altitude
– height, altitude, flight level
– altimeter settings: QNH, QFE, 1013.25 hPa
– calculation of terrain clearance, lowest usable flight level,
rule of thumb for temperature and pressure influences
– effect of accelerated airflow due to topography

1.2 Wind
a) Definition and measurement
b) Primary cause of wind
– primary cause of wind, pressure gradient, coriolis force
– gradient wind
– relationship between isobars and wind
– effects of convergence and divergence
c) General circulation
– general circulation around the globe
d) Turbulence
– Turbulence and gustiness, types of turbulence
– origin and location of turbulence
e) Variation of wind with height
– variation of wind in the friction layer
– variation of the wind caused by fronts
f) Local winds: Anabatic and katabatic winds, land and sea breezes,
venture effects
g) Jet Streams
– origin of jet streams
– description and location of jet streams
– names, heights and seasonal occurrence of jet streams
– jet stream recognition
– CAT: cause, location and forecasting
h) Standing waves: Origin of standing waves

1.3 Thermodynamics
a) Humidity
– water vapour in the atmosphere
– temperature/dew point, mixing ratio, relative humidity
b) Change of state of aggregation: condensation, evaporation,
sublimation, freezing and melting, latent heat
c) Adiabatic processes

1.4 Clouds and Fog
a) Clouds formation and description
– cooling by adiabatic expansion and by advection
– cloud types, cloud classification
– influence of inversions on cloud development
– flying conditions in each cloud type
b) Fog, mist, haze
– radiation fog
– advection fog
– steaming fog
– frontal fog
– orographic fog

1.5 Precipitation
a) Development of precipitation
– development of precipitation
– types of precipitation
– type of precipitation, relationship with cloud types

1.6 Air masses and Fronts
a) Types of air masses
– description, factors, affecting the properties of an air mass
– classification of air masses, modifications of air masses,
areas of origin
b) Fronts
– boundaries between air masses (fronts), general situation,
geographic differentiation
– warm front, associated clouds and weather
– cold front, associated clouds and weather
– Warm sector, associated clouds and weather
– weather behind the cold front
– occlusions, associated clouds and weather
– stationary front, associated clouds and weather
– movement of fronts and pressure systems, life cycle

1.7 Pressure Systems
a) Location of the principal pressure areas
b) Anticyclone: Anticyclones, types, general properties, cold and
warm anticyclones, ridges and wedges, subsidence
c) Non frontal depressions
– thermal, orographic – and secondary depressions, cold air
pools, trough
d) Tropical revolving storms
– development of tropical revolving storms
– origin and local names, location and period of occurrence

1.8 Climatology
a) Climatic zones
– general seasonal circulation in the troposphere and lower
stratosphere
– tropical rain climate, dry climate, mid-latitude-climate, subarctical climate with cold winter, snow climate
b) Indian Climatology
c) Tropical climatology
– cause and development of tropical showers: humidity,
temperature, tropopause
– seasonal variations of weather and wind, typical synoptic
situation
– inter Tropical convergence zones (ITCZ), weather in the
ITCZ, general seasonal movement
– climatic elements relative to the area (monsoon, trade winds,
sand storms, cold air outbreaks)
– easterly waves
d) Typical weather situations in mid-latitudes
– westerly waves
– high pressure area
– uniform pressure pattern
e) Local seasonal weather and wind
– local seasonal weather and wind
– monsoon (South West and North East), pre-monsoon, post
monsoon, northwesters, kal-baisakhis, western disturbance,
Loo.
– foehn, mistral, bora bora, scirocco
– khamsin, harmattan, ghibbli and pampero

1.9 Flight Hazards
a) Icing
– weather conditions for ice accretion, topographical effects
– types of ice accretion
– hazards of ice accretion, avoidance
b) Turbulence
– effects on flight, avoidance
– CAT: effects on flight
c) Windshear
– definition of windshear
– weather conditions for windshear
– effects on flight
d) Thunderstorms
– structure of thunderstorms, squall lines, life history, storm
cells, electricity in the atmosphere, static charges
– conditions for and process of development, forecast,
location, type specification
– Thunderstorm avoidance, ground/airborne radar, storm
scope
– development and effect of down bursts
– development of lightning discharge and effect of lightning
strike on aircraft and flight execution
e) Tornadoes
f) Low and high level inversions: Influence on aircraft performance
g) Stratospheric conditions
– tropopause influence on aircraft performance
– effect of ozone, radioactivity
h) Hazards in mountainous areas
– influence of terrain on clouds and precipitation, frontal
passage
– vertical movements, mountain waves, windshear,
turbulence, ice accretion
– development and effect of valley inversions
i) Visibility reducing phenomena
– reduction of visibility caused by mist, smoke, dust, sand and
precipitation
– reduction of visibility caused by low drifting and blowing
snow

1.10. Meteorological Information
a) Observation
– on the ground – surface wind, visibility and runway visual
range, transmissometers; Clouds – type, amount, height of
base and tops, movement; Weather – including all types of
precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, dew point,
atmospheric pressure
– upper air observations
– satellite observations, interpretation
– weather radar observations ground and airborne,
interpretation
– aircraft observations and reporting, data link systems,
PIREPS
b) Weather Charts
– significant weather charts
– surface charts
– upper air charts
– symbols and signs on analysed and prognostic charts
c) Information for Flight Planning
– aeronautical codes: METAR, TAF, SPECI, SIGMET,
SNOWTAM, runway report
– meteorological broadcasts for aviation: VOLMET, ATIS,
HFVOLMET, ACARS
– content and use of pre-flight meteorological documents
– meteorological briefing and advice
– measuring and warning systems for low level windshear
– inversion
– special meteorological warnings
– information for computer flight planning