METEOROLOGY

1. Following the passage of a warm front in South Africa:

a. The pressure will begin to rise

2. The symbol SCT is used to indicate:

a. 3 to 4 oktas of clouds

3. With reference to Winds and Temperatures Chart on page 16 of the Meteorology Manual. The
wind speed on the south east coast at 3000ft is:
a. 15kts

4. The dissipating stage of a thunderstorm is characterised by:

a. The formation of anvil shape at the top of the thunderstorm

5. The type of wind which may be experienced at the coastal areas during night is:
a. A land breeze

6. With reference to Station 1 of Synoptic Station Models – 1 on page 5 of the Meteorology

manual. The QNH is:
a. 1022.0hpa

7. In South Africa a hot, dry wind blowing from the interior to the coast is referred to as:
a. A berg wind

8. A land breeze will be found at coastal areas:

a. At night

9. The ideal conditions for the formation of radiation fog at night are:
a. Clear sky, with a light wind and high relative humidity

10. Bands of frontal fog cloud could be expected to occur:

a. Ahead of a warm front

11. When the difference between the temperature and the dewpoint is small and reducing:
a. Low cloud or fog may be expected

12. Carburettor icing:

a. Is indicated by a rough running engine and a gradual decrease in RPM

13. Cirrus type of cloud refers to:

a. High thin clouds

14. Anti-cyclones are characterised by:

a. High pressure
15. The mature stage of a thunderstorm is characterised by:
a. The commencement of precipitation

16. A continental air mass:

a. Forms over the land and remains fairly dry throughout

17. During summer in Southern Africa, the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is
generally located:
a. In the southern hemisphere

18. Precipitation in the form of rain can be expected from:

a. Altocumulus

19. The weather experienced on the earth occurs in the:

a. Troposphere

20. According to International Standard Atmosphere (ISA), the temperature lapse rate is:
a. 1.98degC/1000ft

21. The characteristics of stable air mass include:

a. Poor surface visibility

22. A sea breeze will be found at the coastal areas:

a. During the day

23. The ideal conditions for the formation of advection fog are:
a. Warm moist air blowing over a cold surface

24. In terms of visibility, the difference between fog and mist is that:
a. Fog has a visibility of less than 1000 metres

25. The temperature at FL085 is ISA+7deg C. The outside air temperature is:
a. +5deg C

26. The type of cloud which can be expected to form as a result of a moist unstable air mass
being forced upwards is:
a. Clouds with substantial vertical development

27. A trough is:

a. A wedge of low pressure

28. The movement of coastal lows on the east coast of South Africa are generally in a:
a. North easterly direction

29. In South Africa, the passage of cold front is characterised by:

a. The winds backing from north west to south west
30. Divergence is associated with:
a. Rising air and a low pressure system with instability

31. On landing, an aircraft’s altimeter indicates the airfield elevation of 1650ft with QNH
correctly set. During the pre-flight inspection on the following morning, the altimeter indicates
1800ft. During the night,:
a. The pressure has decreased

32. The indications of an approaching warm front:

a. Cirrus followed by cirrostratus or altostratus type clouds

33. With reference to the Significant Weather Chart 1 on the page 13 of the Meteorology
Manual. An aircraft flying from Pretoria (PR) to Nelspruit (NS) would experience:
a. Increased cloud cover and lowering cloud base

34. Following the passage of warm front in South Africa:

a. The pressure will begin to rise

35. Assuming that the temperature of a dry parcel of air remains constant:
a. An increase in pressure will cause an increase in density

36. Convergence is associated with:

a. Rising air and a low pressure system with instability

37. In a high pressure system in the southern hemisphere:

a. The wind rotates anti-clockwise, with an outwards and downwards flow

38. The characteristics of unstable air includes:

a. Good surface visibility

39. When local QFE is set on the subscale of an altimeter of an aircraft in the flight
instrument will read:
a. The aircraft’s height above an aerodrome

40. The Coriolis Force is created by:

a. The rotation of the earth

41. The volume of the oxygen in the atmosphere is approximately:

a. 21%

42. Density altitude is:

a. Derived by correcting the pressure altitude for temperature

43. With reference to the Significant Weather Chart 1 on the page 13 of the Meteorology
Manual. The weather in the vicinity of Bloemfontein (BL) includes:
a. Hail from individual embedded thunderstorms
44. In the southern hemisphere an aircraft which is being subjected to left drift is:
a. Flying towards a low pressure area

45. The dry adiabatic lapse rate is:

a. 3deg C/1000ft

46. With reference to TAF for Durban (FADN) on the page 8 of the Meteorology Manual, an
aircraft landing between 1800 and 2000 local time would expect the surface wind to be:
a. 140/12

47. The significance of Ozone layer in the atmosphere is that it:

a. Acts as a shield against ultra violet rays

48. As a polar maritime air mass passes over South Africa during summer, it will:
a. Absorb heat in the lower layers and become unstable

49. In the southern hemisphere, an aircraft subjected to right drift is:

a. Flying towards an area of high pressure

50. Cooling of the earth’s surface during the night:

a. Is greatest during clear skies over rocky of desert areas

51. With reference to station 4 of the synoptic station models-1 on the page 5 of the
meteorology manual, the medium cloud indicated is:
a. Thick altostratus or nimbostratus

52. Following the passage of a warm front in South Africa, the winds will:
a. Back

53. When QFE is set on an altimeter subscale of an aircraft on ground at an aerodrome, the
instrument will indicate:
a. Zero

54. Rime ice may be expected to form on an aircraft:

a. When super cooled water droplets freeze on impact

55. In the southern hemisphere, the wind is deflected to the left by the:
a. Coriolis force

56. Convergence is associated with:

a. Rising air and low pressure system with instability

57. With reference to the station 15 on the synoptic station models-2 on the page 6 of the
meteorology manual:
a. There is 5 oktas of stratocumulus formed by spreading between 300 and 599ft
58. A TAF is:
a. A weather forecast for an aerodrome

59. Polar maritime air is characterised by:

a. Stable conditions at its source

60. A warm, dry wind blowing down a mountain during the day is a typical characteristic of:
a. The fohn wind

61. The weather conditions associated with the approach of a warm front include:
a. Precipitation from a progressively lowering cloud base

62. the amount of water vapour that can be held in the air is dependent upon:
a. the temperature of the air

63. with reference to the METAR for JOHANNESBURG (FAJS) on page 9 of the meteorology
manual:
a. the variation in the observed direction is between 340deg and 70deg

64. In a temperature inversion:

a. The temperature rises with increase in height

65. The type of clouds which typically characterise a cold front are:
a. Cumulous and cumulonimbus

66. A surface temperature inversion is caused by:

a. Terrestrial radiation with little or no wind on a clear night

67. A land breeze will be found at the coastal areas:

a. At night

68. Air density will:

a. Decrease with an increase in humidity

69. The most hazardous type of thunderstorms to an aircraft are:

a. Thunderstorms embedded in frontal clouds

70. The average height of the troposphere is:

a. 11km/ 36090ft

71. On flying overhead an aerodrome at which ground fog is present, the runway is clearly
visible to the pilot when looking straight down. Assuming no change in conditions, from the
final approach the visibility will appear to have:
a. Reduced
72. Following the passage of a cold front:
a. The pressure will begin to rise

73. An occluded front occurs when:

a. A cold front overtakes a warm front

74. The dew point temperature is the temperature at which a particular air mass:
a. Becomes saturated

75. In winter, an aeroplane which has been parked outside during a night with clear skies
may expect to be covered with:
a. Hoar frost

76. With reference to the TAF for Johannesburg (FAJS) on the page 8 of the Meteorology
Manual, the forecast time period is:
a. 0700 UTC to 1800 UTC

77. The flow of air from a high to low in the southern hemisphere is deflected by the coriolis
force:
a. To the left

78. When warm air is forced to rise up and over cold air:
a. A cold occlusion forms

79. As a polar maritime air mass passes over South Africa during summer, it will:
a. Absorb heat in the lower layers and become unstable

80. A geostrophic wind is the one:

a. Which flows parallel to straight isobars

81. The area which may be found in between two high pressure systems and two low
pressure systems is called a:
a. Col

82. The term CAVOK is used in weather forecasts to indicate:

a. Visibility 10km or more and no cloud below 5000ft

83. Adiabatic process is the term used to describe:

a. The cooling of air as it rises and expands

84. The presence of thunder and severe turbulence may be expected in:
a. Cumulonimbus clouds
85. With reference to significant weather chart 3 on page 15 of the meteorology manual, an
aircraft intending to fly from Port Elizabeth (PE) along the coast towards Cape Town (CT) would
experience:
a. Initially drizzle from stratocumulous cloud, becoming rain towards Cape Town

86. On a synoptic chart, a line which joins the places of equal pressure is called:
a. Isobar

87. In terms of visibility, the difference between fog and mist is that:
a. The mist has a visibility of more than 1000 metres

88. Assuming that the temperature of a dry parcel of air remains constant:
a. An increase in pressure will cause an increase in density

89. The weather which normally associated with a high pressure system includes:
a. Fine weather with light winds and poor visibility

90. When a cold front overtakes a warm front:

a. An occlusion will form

91. A METAR is:

a. A report of actual weather at an aerodrome

92. With reference to station 6 of the synoptic station models -1, on page 5 of the
meteorology manual, the present weather is:
a. Moderate, intermittent drizzle

93. The layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere is called:
a. The tropopause

94. In stable conditions, with a strong wind blowing over a mountain range or high ridge of
hills:
a. A mountain wave turbulence is to be expected

95. In the southern hemisphere the wind is directed to the left by:
a. Coriolis force

96. The term ridge is associated with:

a. A high pressure area

97. In South Africa a hot dry wind blowing from the interior to the coast is referred to as the:
a. Berg wind

98. Cirrostratus is:

a. A thin, high level cloud covering most of the sky, composed of ice crystals
99. Cumulonimbus cloud is characterised by:
a. Severe turbulence

100. With reference to the significant weather chart 2 on the page 14 of the meteorology
manual, the pilot of an aircraft intends to fly a direct track from Port Elizabeth (PE) to East
London (EL). If the highest ground is 1000ft, the pilot:
a. Would have to remain below 2000ft

101. During the South African winter:

a. High pressure generally forms over the central and the northern interior, resulting in
clear skies and calm conditions

102. On a clear night, light winds and moist air blowing over land will most probably create:
a. Radiation fog

103. The characteristics of South African summer include:

a. The presence of moist south easterly trade winds

104. An aircraft is flying at FL095, OAT +5deg C. The temperature deviation from ISA is:
a. +9deg C

105. A common characteristic of a stable air mass is:

a. The presence of stratiform clouds

106. An anabatic wind:

a. Flows up a slope during the day

107. The type of fog that may be expected to form ahead of a warm front is:
a. Frontal fog

108. Polar maritime air is characterised by:

a. Stable conditions at its source

109. The volume of oxygen in the atmosphere is approximately:

a. 21%

110. The requirements for the formation of a thunderstorm are lifting action combined with:
a. Unstable moist air

111. Stratus cloud may be formed:

a. Orographically

112. The appearance of small rotor clouds on the downwind or the lee side of a ridge of high
hills or a mountain range would indicate:
a. Severe turbulence
113. During summer in South Africa, the inter tropical convergence zone(ITCZ) is generally
located:
a. In the southern hemisphere

114. With reference to station 2 of the synoptic station models – 1 on page 5 of the
Meteorology Manual, the barometric tendency during the past 3 hours was:
a. Falling then steady

115. The Black South Easter is a wind which occurs in South Africa when:
a. There is well developed high pressure system to the west of Cape Town, with strong
pressure gradients and along sea track

116. The flow of air from a high to a low in the southern hemisphere is deflected by the
coriolis force:
a. To the left

117. Advection fog is most likely to be found:

a. Over coastal areas

118. On a clear night, light winds and moist air blowing over the land will most probably
create:
a. Radiation fog

119. A wind which flows down slope is called:

a. Katabatic and generally occurs during the night

120. Virga is:

a. Rain which evaporates before it reaches the surface

121. A continental air mass:

a. Forms over the land and remains fairly dry throughout

122. Cirrostratus is:

a. A thin, high level cloud, covering most of the sky, composed of ice crystals

123. The type of breeze which may be experienced at the coastal areas during the day is:
a. A sea breeze

124. The term ridge is associated with:

a. A high pressure area

125. With reference to the Significant Weather chart 3 on the page 15 of the meteorology
manual, an aircraft intending to fly from Port Elizabeth (PE) along the coast towards Cape Town
(CT) would experience:
a. Initially drizzle from stratocumulus cloud, becoming rain towards Cape Town
126. With reference to the Significant Weather chart 2 on the page 14 of the meteorology
manual, an aircraft intending to fly from Johannesburg (JS) to Durban (DN) would encounter:
a. A reducing cloud base en route, with drizzle from 8 oktas of stratocumulus at 600ft at the
coast

127. Precipitation in the form of light drizzle can be expected from:

a. Stratus or stratocumulus clouds

128. A common characteristic of a stable air mass is:

a. The presence of stratiform clouds

129. A tropical continental air mass moving over a cool surface will:
a. Lose heat in the lower layers and become more stable

130. With reference to the METAR for Upington (FAP) on page 9 of the meteorology manual:
a. There is no cloud below 5000ft

131. In the southern hemisphere, the wind around a low pressure blows:
a. Clockwise, with the area of lowest pressure in the centre

132. A sea breeze will be found at coastal areas:

a. During the day

133. With reference to the station 6 of the Synoptic Station Models – 1, on the page 5 of the
meteorology manual, the present weather is:
a. Moderate, intermittent drizzle

134. The characteristics of the South African summer include:

a. The presence of moist south easterly trade winds

135. An air mass which is approaching South Africa from the Antarctic is classified as:
a. Polar maritime

136. Density altitude is:

a. Derived by correcting the pressure altitude for temperature

137. When the wind direction and velocity (W/V) is given to a pilot:
a. Surface wind directions at any airfield are always given in degrees magnetic

138. Nimbostratus cloud is:

a. Commonly associated with warm front

139. Dew point temperature is the temperature at which:

a. Air will become saturated at a constant pressure
140. With reference to station 4 of the synoptic station models – 1 on the page 5 of the
meteorology manual, the medium cloud indicated is:
a. Thick altostratus or nimbostratus

141. The feature most commonly associated with the cumulus stage of a thunderstorm is:
a. A continuous updraft

142. A warm dry wind blowing down a mountain during the day is a typical characteristic of:
a. The fohn wind

143. A tropical continental air mass moving over a cool surface will:
a. Lose heat in the lower layers and become more stable

144. the “Cape Doctor” is the name used in South Africa’s Cape Peninsula, for:
a. a strong south easterly wind during summer usually accompanied by clear skies

145. the characteristics of South African Summer include:

a. the presence of moist south easterly trade winds

146. hail can be expected to fall from:

a. large cumulonimbus clouds

147. bands of frontal fog could be expected to occur:

a. ahead of a warm front

148. the weather conditions associated with South African Berg wind includes:
a. a hot dry wind blowing from the interior to the coast

149. An air mass which is approaching South Africa from the Antarctic is classified as:
a. polar maritime

150. When QNH has been set on the subscale of an altimeter, the instrument will indicate:
a. The aircraft’s altitude above sea level

151. With reference to station 9 of the synoptic station models -2 on the page 6 of the
meteorology manual:
a. The temperature is 30deg C and the dew point is -5deg C

152. A continental air mass:

a. Forms over the land and remains fairly dry throughout