Pilot Institute

MARCH 19, 2025

The wind is from the south at 8 knots. The KT indicates that the scale used is knots (an abbreviated term for nautical miles per hour ). For example, if we were to write this METAR in plain English, it would sound something like this: The weather is taken from Boston at 1730 Zulu time on the 08th of the month.

Weather 84

Weather Altimeter Runway NOTAMs 84

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 9, 2024

They read the NOTAMs “before” they take off into the wild blue yonder. While the ground-bound commuters down below trudge along in heavy traffic along the highways and byways, we pilots get to play three-dimensional chess at 150 knots or so in our piston-powered magic carpets. We can cross a major city in 10 minutes or less, no stress.

Pilot 105

Pilot Flight Deck Approach Weather 105

Pilot Institute

MARCH 6, 2025

NOTAM Notice to Airmen A NOTAM is a notice that contains essential information to alert pilots of potential hazards at a specific location or along a flight route. NOTAMs are publicly available. Pilots are required to check for NOTAMs along their relevant routes or locations before the start of a flight.

Pilot 52

Pilot Weather Air Traffic Control NOTAMs 52

Photographic Logbook

FEBRUARY 2, 2025

A NOTAM closing Alton Bay was still active until 7:00 am that morning. As expected, the NOTAM closing the ice runway did expire and no new notification replaced it. A target moved across my traffic display at 450 knots (518 miles per hour). "I "Wakey-Wakey, Eggs and Bakey" It almost did not happen. Photo by The Bear.

Runway 89

Runway Knot Weather Turbulence 89

Pilot Institute

MARCH 26, 2024

Check NOTAMs Before departure, check the Notices to Air Missions (NOTAM) publication. You might find a NOTAM about your destination’s surface conditions. Don’t depend on NOTAMs to provide up-to-date information on soft field conditions. If the runway is too wet, it might be temporarily closed.

NOTAMs 52

NOTAMs Runway Approach Descent 52

iPad Pilot News

JUNE 14, 2024

In addition to providing continuous in-flight weather updates, ADS-B provides updates to NOTAMs and TFRs in flight too. For example, a pilot of a light twin aircraft, flying at a medium altitude with a tailwind could easily have a groundspeed in excess of 200 knots.

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Weather AGL Flight Deck Pilot 59

Air Facts

MARCH 28, 2025

After checking the NOTAMS, the weather, and filing my flight plan, I stepped into the Intel Shop for my pre-mission briefing. It was a very close-up shot as the drone came in low and fast (500-1000 feet AGL at 500+ knots); the crew had no time to react, except to look up. The PDJ was a strategically significant region.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes AGL NOTAMs Approach 52