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ATPL subject 050

ATPL Meteorology: what it covers and how to study it

Meteorology (subject 050) covers the atmosphere, the weather systems that form in it, the hazards they create for aeroplanes, and the reports and charts that describe them.

By Matthew Dowell, airline training captain and Chief Flight Instructor. A revision guide, not approved by any regulator. Your training organisation sets the syllabus and exam rules, and regulations always take precedence.

What the Meteorology paper covers

• The atmosphere: pressure, temperature and density
• Wind and global circulation
• Clouds, precipitation and stability
• Air masses, fronts and pressure systems
• Hazards: icing, turbulence, thunderstorms, visibility
• Met reports, forecasts and charts

Where students find it hard

The subject has two sides: understanding why weather happens, and reading the coded reports and charts. Students often learn the first and neglect the second, then lose marks decoding a report or interpreting a chart. The reports reward regular practice.

How to study Meteorology

• Learn the cause and effect in each weather process before the names.
• Practise decoding real reports until it is automatic.
• Look at actual weather charts regularly, and link them to what you are studying.

The Mastering ATPL book for this subject

The Mastering ATPL Meteorology book is available on Amazon and through the Other stores links.

Mastering ATPL · Subject 050

Meteorology

The atmosphere, weather systems, hazards and the met reports you will read every day.

Buy on Amazon UK Amazon US Other stores

Also on Amazon in Europe: Amazon.de · Amazon.fr · Amazon.es · Amazon.it · Amazon.nl

How this book is organised

The book follows the topics listed above, in turn, starting with the atmosphere; wind and global circulation; clouds, precipitation and stability, so you can see which part of the paper you are covering at any point. It is a complete revision guide and question bank built on the full published learning objectives for the subject, and it ends with a mock examination weighted as the real one. Work through a section, test yourself on it, and keep the mock examination for the end, under timed conditions.

Related subjects

• ATPL Flight Planning
• ATPL General Navigation
• ATPL Human Performance and Limitations

See also: all 13 ATPL subjects and 14 study guides · how the EASA ATPL exams work · what order to study and sit the papers · Meteorology in the airline technical interview.