CPL/ATPL Meteorology for Professional Pilots

This manual provides the knowledge required by candidates for the New Zealand Commercial Pilot and Airline Transport Pilot licences in Meteorology.


Meteorology has proved to be a difficult study for many students and to ease the problem, the subject has been explained in the simplest possible terms without jeopardising technical accuracy.


The requirement for adequate knowledge of meteorology by professional pilots centres on a good grasp of fundamental principles and an appreciation of practical considerations.  Consistent with this, the text in this manual highlights the theory with everyday ‘weather’ applications wherever possible.  For example, an entire chapter is devoted to hazardous meteorological conditions which have proved to be potential threats to flight safety.


Since this book contains all the required material for CPL and ATPL studies, it is suggested that CPL students check the appropriate syllabus requirements in AC61.  For example, Chapter 17, Upper Air Meteorology, is beyond the scope required for CPL candidates.


Modern meteorology is substantially based on innovations such as radar, satellites and computers.  These ‘tools of the trade’ have shown that some of the traditional principles were in need of revision, a good example of this is the concept of the Polar Front.


Thus, the text in this book deals with meteorology in modern terms which are reflected to some extent in the syllabus for each licence.  Nevertheless, explanations based on some of the ‘old’ understandings have been retained.  For example, Chapter 13, Fronts and Depressions, combines the old with the new.