NIFE WEATHER MAIN EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What words are used to describe the intensities of turbulence in a PIREP? -
✔✔Light
Moderate
Severe
Extreme
✔✔What words are used to describe turbulence with respect to time? What is their
timings? - ✔✔Occasional: Less than 1/3 of the time
Intermittent: 1/3 to 2/3 of the time
Continuous: More than 2/3 of the time.
✔✔What are the types of turbulence? - ✔✔WTFM
Wind Shear
Thermal
Frontal
Mechanical
✔✔What is Thermal turbulence? - ✔✔Vertical convective currents are pushed upwards,
due to surface heating, and disrupt the airflow
Plowed field has the most convective currents
✔✔What is Mechanical Turbulence? - ✔✔Winds moving over an object. winds get
disturbed and become irregular
✔✔What does the strength of mechanical turbulence depend on? - ✔✔Speed of wind,
roughness of the terrain, and stability of the air
✔✔What is Frontal Turbulence? - ✔✔A front is moving in and pushes the warm air
upwards causing instability
✔✔What is Wind Shear Turbulence? - ✔✔Steep gradients in wind velocity or direction
producing eddy currents.
✔✔How is a temperature inversion a wind shear turbulence? - ✔✔At the boundary layer
between the Lapse rate and the temperature inversion, wind shear can be present. The
change causes winds to switch directions and intensities
✔✔Why is wind shear turbulence dangerous at low levels? - ✔✔During takeoff and
landing you are looking for roll out numbers. If these numbers are hit too early due to
wind shear, they could be taken away for the same reason, causing a crash
, ✔✔Why is a jet stream a wind shear turbulence? - ✔✔There is a rapid change in wind
speed in the jet stream
✔✔What are the techniques to flying through turbulence? - ✔✔Maintain thrust settings
Trim the aircraft for level flight
Dont make abrupt control inputs
Dont chase the altitmeter
✔✔What are the two requirements for icing to occur? - ✔✔Atmosphere must have
super-cooled water droplets
Free air temp and wing surface temp must be below freezing.
✔✔What temperature does water in the free air freeze? - ✔✔-10 to -40 C
✔✔What is structural icing? - ✔✔Icing that forms on the external structure of an aircraft
✔✔What is the most hazardous form of icing and why? - ✔✔Clear icing. It builds up
fast, disrupts airflow, and can freeze up flight controls
✔✔What is Rime icing and what is its temperature range? - ✔✔Milky ice -10 to -20
✔✔What is clear icings temperature range? - ✔✔0 to -10C
✔✔What is mixed icing and what is its temperature range? - ✔✔Both large and small
water droplets are present. Combination of clear and rime icing. -8C to -15 C
✔✔What is the biggest factor to structural icing? - ✔✔The changes to the forces of a
plane.
Weight increases
Drag and fuel consumption increase
Thrust and range decrease
Lift decreases
Stall speeds increase
✔✔What is induction icing? - ✔✔Pressure decrease in the duct allows water to form into
ice at higher temps and a build up can occur
✔✔What is Compressor Icing? - ✔✔Ice forming on the compressor inlet. This will
disturb the airflow and could cause the engine to flameout
✔✔What options does a pilot have when encountering a icing hazard? - ✔✔Climb to
colder temperatures where the precipitation is frozen
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What words are used to describe the intensities of turbulence in a PIREP? -
✔✔Light
Moderate
Severe
Extreme
✔✔What words are used to describe turbulence with respect to time? What is their
timings? - ✔✔Occasional: Less than 1/3 of the time
Intermittent: 1/3 to 2/3 of the time
Continuous: More than 2/3 of the time.
✔✔What are the types of turbulence? - ✔✔WTFM
Wind Shear
Thermal
Frontal
Mechanical
✔✔What is Thermal turbulence? - ✔✔Vertical convective currents are pushed upwards,
due to surface heating, and disrupt the airflow
Plowed field has the most convective currents
✔✔What is Mechanical Turbulence? - ✔✔Winds moving over an object. winds get
disturbed and become irregular
✔✔What does the strength of mechanical turbulence depend on? - ✔✔Speed of wind,
roughness of the terrain, and stability of the air
✔✔What is Frontal Turbulence? - ✔✔A front is moving in and pushes the warm air
upwards causing instability
✔✔What is Wind Shear Turbulence? - ✔✔Steep gradients in wind velocity or direction
producing eddy currents.
✔✔How is a temperature inversion a wind shear turbulence? - ✔✔At the boundary layer
between the Lapse rate and the temperature inversion, wind shear can be present. The
change causes winds to switch directions and intensities
✔✔Why is wind shear turbulence dangerous at low levels? - ✔✔During takeoff and
landing you are looking for roll out numbers. If these numbers are hit too early due to
wind shear, they could be taken away for the same reason, causing a crash
, ✔✔Why is a jet stream a wind shear turbulence? - ✔✔There is a rapid change in wind
speed in the jet stream
✔✔What are the techniques to flying through turbulence? - ✔✔Maintain thrust settings
Trim the aircraft for level flight
Dont make abrupt control inputs
Dont chase the altitmeter
✔✔What are the two requirements for icing to occur? - ✔✔Atmosphere must have
super-cooled water droplets
Free air temp and wing surface temp must be below freezing.
✔✔What temperature does water in the free air freeze? - ✔✔-10 to -40 C
✔✔What is structural icing? - ✔✔Icing that forms on the external structure of an aircraft
✔✔What is the most hazardous form of icing and why? - ✔✔Clear icing. It builds up
fast, disrupts airflow, and can freeze up flight controls
✔✔What is Rime icing and what is its temperature range? - ✔✔Milky ice -10 to -20
✔✔What is clear icings temperature range? - ✔✔0 to -10C
✔✔What is mixed icing and what is its temperature range? - ✔✔Both large and small
water droplets are present. Combination of clear and rime icing. -8C to -15 C
✔✔What is the biggest factor to structural icing? - ✔✔The changes to the forces of a
plane.
Weight increases
Drag and fuel consumption increase
Thrust and range decrease
Lift decreases
Stall speeds increase
✔✔What is induction icing? - ✔✔Pressure decrease in the duct allows water to form into
ice at higher temps and a build up can occur
✔✔What is Compressor Icing? - ✔✔Ice forming on the compressor inlet. This will
disturb the airflow and could cause the engine to flameout
✔✔What options does a pilot have when encountering a icing hazard? - ✔✔Climb to
colder temperatures where the precipitation is frozen
