Next in terms of study for is PPL Theory – Communications and Meteorology.
I was reading the meteorology from the EASA private pilot studies book and was struggling to retain the information. I am a visual learner, I prefer a CBT to endless text. I then turned to YouTube to see if there was a video on meteorology that would explain this for me.
This is when I came across this amazing video that explained meteorology in just two hours! Perfect. I will still use the book to look up information and revise but I can’t recommend this video enough.
The instructor Jonathan Walter, covers everything you need to know for this subject in a very clear and easy to understand way.
On top of this I also watched these two videos from the youtube channel GoProFlying which also helped me a lot. He has recorded one on Metar and one on TAF. Watch the one on METAR first.
After watching these two videos I had METAR and TAF down and was comfortable reading both by the end of the video.
He also does a good job explaining CAVOK and TEMPO.
There are loads of videos on YouTube like this about weather so if you are struggling make sure you head over and have a look.
The Met Office site will also come in handy for getting TAF’s and METAR’s and is free once you register.
Communications wasn’t so bad, basically you need to know your radio calls. For instance if you are downwind you should remember it goes who, where, want.
G-YB (who), Downwind, runway 21 (where), to land (what).
Your call sign goes at the start if you are initiating a radio call. For example, G-YB, A1, runway 21, ready for departure.
Your call sign goes at the end if you are replying to a radio call. For example, cleared for departure, G-YB.
Note – A call sign can only be abbreviated once air traffic control has done it first.
Things that you also have to remember is Roger means I have received all of your message, while wilco means I will comply with it
Mayday Mayday Mayday is an emergency and Pan Pan Pan is urgency.
Affirm means yes and negative means no.
I find the best way to learn communications is to actually do the calls. For this reason I think it makes sense to leave this exams to a bit later in your flying when you have had a chance to use the radio some more. This is why I say you should leave communications, navigation and flight planning to last.
I plan to take these exams at the end of the week so I will update this post with my scores as always.
Scores as promised
Meteorology – 75%
Communications 100%
Next up Flight Performance and Planning and Navigation and Radio Aids. Then we are finished!
