Weather; Overview; Hazards To Flight - Cirrus SR20 Flight Operations Manual

Cirrus SR20 and SR22
Section 7

Weather

A critical factor in a successful flight is the pilot's evaluation of weather
conditions. Many weather related accidents could have been
prevented during preflight if the pilot had thoroughly evaluated the
weather conditions. The following weather resources will be useful for
evaluating the weather:
Flight Service Station: .................................................. 800-WX-BRIEF
Aviation Weather Center ...................... http://www.aviationweather.gov
Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS) ... http://www.duats.com
National Weather Service.............................. http://www.nws.noaa.gov
The go/no-go decision and the route to the intended destination
greatly depend on the weather at the departure airport, along the route
and destination. The pilot's ability to interpret and understand aviation
weather is critical to the safety of flight. Follow the steps below when
assessing the weather for every flight.

Overview

The first step to understanding the weather conditions along the
intended route is to assess the big picture. The pilot should become
familiar with pressure systems, frontal systems, precipitation, areas of
marginal VFR and IFR conditions, and areas of icing and turbulence.
Weather products available include:
• Surface analysis chart,
• Weather radar,
• Satellite Imagery.

Hazards to Flight

The second step is to identify any potential hazards for the intended
flight. The pilot should become familiar with areas of marginal VFR
and IFR conditions, convective activity, and areas of icing and
turbulence. Weather products available include:
• Weather depiction chart,
• AIRMETs, SIGMETs and Convective SIGMETs,
• Weather radar,
P/N 23020-002
June 2008
Flight Operations Manual
Supplementary Information
7-11