Lesson 6 Review
If conditions change earlier or later than you expected and they are expected to last for a while, then an amendment may not be needed. You should try to update your forecasts prior to the change in weather conditions.
Additionally, small fluctuations in the observation or conditions expected to last a short period of time (30 minutes or less) should not result in an update to the TAF. You don’t want to be “chasing the observations”.
AWIPS applications such as Aviation Forecast Preparation System (AvnFPS) [described in Lesson 7] is designed to help monitor observations and compare them to your TAF forecasts. AvnFPS can alert you if current conditions are approaching or meeting amendment criteria.
Categorical Amendment Criteria (CAC) are amendment criteria thresholds for ceiling and visibility. CAC was developed to capture the lowest landing minimums for every airport that the majority of the populations use. The lowest minimums can vary from airport to airport and can even be different for different types of aircraft using the same airport.
Key points to remember:
- Maintain a “Weather Watch” and anticipate changes in weather significant to aviation operations.
- Be familiar with operationally significant airport minimums and thresholds for the airports in your area.
- Update TAFs if weather conditions change earlier or later than you expected or when amendment criteria are met.
- Use good judgment when considering to update a TAF. Don’t chase observations.
Congratulations. You have reached the end of Lesson 6.