ground school question

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danishroy
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ground school question

Post by danishroy »

I'm doing my ppl ground school online with pilottraining. Just starting weather section. It's the one I am dreading. I'm about half way through the first section of weather. There is lots of info in there such as the ways earth cools and heats and all that. Now I'm wondering is this stuff you need to know for the exam or is it more of them explaining it so we can have a better understanding of why weather is the way it is. Or will there be questions like calculate the base of a cloud or what causes stable air?

There's just so much information and I understand most of it but not sure if we are expected to have it all memorized.
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arctic_slim
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Re: ground school question

Post by arctic_slim »

In my opinion all that stuff about earth and the major systems affecting weather including all the different systems/physics is good for base knowledge and understanding of how weather works and how air masses move.

As far as exams though, I do recall questions on calculating bases of clouds. I'm pretty sure even my ATPL exam had a question on calculating the base of a cloud. I also recall questions on the major air masses like cA, cP, mT. statopause heights and lapse rates. etc. So a good base understanding of how the earth functions as a whole to me is important because it helps you understand things better. I think it helps visualizing of systems and weather hen you have a good base understanding.
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tractor driver
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Re: ground school question

Post by tractor driver »

To satisfy your question,
look at the study and reference guide for the ppl.
To satisfy the requirement to be a good pilot, become a student of weather, and continually learn about the "show" you see when you go out the door every day.

g
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Gear Jerker
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Re: ground school question

Post by Gear Jerker »

+1

In general, never pay too much attention to "what you need to know for an exam." Instead, try to adopt a curious and engaged mindset, learn all that you can and keep learning. If you do this, you will never have a probably passing any exams, and more importantly, will know some things that will hopefully keep you safe.

Weather is generally about understanding more so than memorizing. Although there is some rote memorization required, if you have a strong and intuitive understanding of the mechanisms involved, then the meteorology section of exams will be a breeze.
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pianokeys
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Re: ground school question

Post by pianokeys »

I would try to learn as much as you can about weather. It's only going to benefit you as a pilot. You spend your entire time flying in weather anyways. Don't study it "just to pass", study it to get an all around, good understanding and one that will benefit your safety as a pilot.

Heres a dope book to start reading.
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danishroy
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Re: ground school question

Post by danishroy »

Ya forsure, my only thing is I understand the processes and stuff i just have trouble remembering the specific names of certain things and processes. But from what i understand weather is one of the most important sections and i will learn and understand as much as possible, thanks guys!
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Meddler
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Re: ground school question

Post by Meddler »

Good advice by all. Weather is fascinating, being able to understand what it's doing is both satisfying and handy for survival.
Yes there are questions on cloud base, air masses, kinds of fog etc. In fact the exam writers seem a bit obsesed with naming fog. I find remembering all the names a pain too. Learn the memorization crap for the tests, but understand the way it all works for your own benifit.
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Panama Jack
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Re: ground school question

Post by Panama Jack »

Meteorology is a science in itself. The reason they start by talking about radiation and the Earth warming and cooling is because this is the "building block" approach to learning- start with the simple, move on to the more complex to encourage a higher level of learning rather than just pure rote memorization. No, you won't become a weather forecaster and this is not the idea. Just as aerodynamics aims to teach you better how your aircraft behaves, meteorology aims to make you a pilot who can better understand the how the stuff you are flying through, the air, behaves.

Perhaps approaching the topic with a sense of dread is part of the problem- keep an open mind. A few years ago, my wife got her Aircraft Dispatcher license and was paralysed with fear at the thought of learning weather (and almost everything else). At the end she found it to be actually easier than some of the other topics and she sumised "not only am I starting to get it- I like it!".

Whether you think you can or you can't- you are right. Good,luck with your groundschool.
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redlaser
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Re: ground school question

Post by redlaser »

One of the best books you can get and its free is on the Navcanada web site, follow the links to find it, most questions in the exam relate to this book, good luck
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complexintentions
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Re: ground school question

Post by complexintentions »

hi danishroy,

Met is a bit like IFR flying - you really learn what you need to know after you obtain the license. My own advice would be to consider each rating you achieve as a "license to learn". Of course you should have a good fundamental grounding in the subject matter, but don't get discouraged if the finer points escape you at first. You'll have many "Ah HA!" moments out in the field.

So I guess I'm dissenting slightly in that you may need to take a slightly "rote memory" approach to the exam at your level of experience, but I would strongly encourage you to continue to relate what you see in the textbooks to what you see from behind the controls. One the reasons I enjoy aviation so much is because of how "applied" it is - the Met concepts you learn now WILL be of use down the road.

Good luck!
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