Aircraft Turbulence and Carburetor Heat Quiz

Turbulence and Aircraft

• Heavy and light aircraft are affected by turbulence in the same manner.
• Aircraft weight does not significantly impact its reaction to turbulence; instead, aerodynamic characteristics play a crucial role.

Carburetor Heat

• Carburetor heat should be turned on as a preventative measure to prevent ice formation in the venturi when:
  • At reduced power settings, with a temperature below 10°C and a dew point within 3 degrees of the temperature.
  • At reduced power settings, with a temperature below 20°C and a dew point within 5 degrees of the temperature.

Ice Formation

• Clear ice is more difficult to remove with deicing equipment because it is more dense and solid, and can run back aft of the deicing equipment.

Freezing Rain

• Freezing rain is most likely to be encountered when flying through a frontal boundary on the colder side of the front, below the front.

Icing Potential

• Icing potential differs depending on cloud type; avoid flying on the downwind (leeward) side of obstructions to the wind.

Turbulence Recognition

• Moderate turbulence is characterized by:
  • Definite strain against seatbelts.
  • Unsecure objects becoming dislodged from their resting places.

Mountain Wave Activity

• To avoid the worst turbulence associated with mountain wave activity, avoid flying below the bases of Altocumulus Standing Lenticular (ACSL) clouds.

Aircraft Weight and Turbulence

• Aircraft weight does not affect its reaction to turbulence; heavier and lighter aircraft are affected similarly.

Squall Line Thunderstorms

• Squall line thunderstorms form due to the lifting action produced by a front that can run for hundreds of miles.

Supercell Thunderstorms

• Supercell thunderstorms differ from single cell thunderstorms in that they have a tilted vertical structure that separates the updrafts from the downdrafts.

Thunderstorm Formation

• The necessary ingredients to form a thunderstorm are:
  • Lifting action.
  • Moisture.
  • An unstable lapse rate.

Thunderstorm Lifecycles

• A thunderstorm can complete all three life cycles in as little as 30 minutes.

Thunderstorm Direction

• The direction a thunderstorm will travel is determined by the wind direction.

Atmospheric Stability

• For the atmosphere to exhibit "absolute instability", it must cool faster than the dry adiabatic lapse rate.

Wind and Atmospheric Stability

• Wind affects atmospheric stability by making it more likely that a rising air parcel will be warmer and less dense than the surrounding air, and continue to rise.

Vertical Air Motion

• Rising columns of air become more unstable because the top of the rising column of air expands and cools more than the bottom of the column.

Northern Climates

• Coastal areas of northern climates are generally more temperate during the winter months, with higher average temperatures and smaller swings between diurnal temperatures.

Whiteout Conditions

• Whiteout conditions occur in northern latitudes when snow-covered surfaces and a low stratus cloud layer reduce shadows and make the horizon difficult to determine.