'Artificial fog’ may have brought down (Polish) president’s plane

The Telegraph, U.K. ^ | July 8th, 2010 | Matthew Day

[theanchoragedailyruse]

The aircraft crashed earlier this year as it tried to land at Smolensk airport in severe fog. The fog, which had thickened rapidly just before the arrival of the plane, had reduce visibility to little more than 650ft (200m), well short of the recommended minimum of 3,280ft (1,000m)

Poland reportedly wants access to US satellite photography that might cast new light on the weather conditions at the time of the crash, according to Gazeta Prawna, a Polish newspaper.

Prosecutors want help from American experts as to whether “there is a scientific and technical capacity to generate artificial fog”, the paper said.

[MindBender26]

Please, for your own sake, see a doctor.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

It is indeed compatible with with the TU-154. As is the PAR RSP-10MN.

Signal at F=400 Hz. Autopilot disconnect. Signal at F=800 Hz. Inner marker. Signal at F=400 Hz. Autothrottle disconnect. TAWS:PULL UP, PULL UP. TAWS:Signal at F=400 Hz. ABSU. TAWS:PULL UP, PULL UP. TAWS:Sound of hitting trees. 2P: F*cking hell! TAWS:PULL UP, PULL D: Abort to second approach! A: Screaming F*ckkkkkkkkkkkk.....

The ABSU system that you see in the transcripts is compatible with the Russian ILS.

http://www.flightgear.ru/wiki/index.php/Tu-154B_ABSU

ABSU operates in the following modes:

Automatic approach signal ILS (mode "Zahod")

Automatic flight glidepath signal ILS (mode "Gliss")

Automatic go-around ("Uhod")

Automatic approach ( "Zahod", "Gliss") enable the automatic flight on glidepath, on signals ILS, prior to a decision height (typically 60 m). Further descending and flare to be done in manual control mode.

http://www.flightgear.ru/wiki/index.php/Tu-154B_Views:_Console

353 - Button-lamp "ZAHOD" (approach). Includes bank channel of ABSU to the automatic ILS approach by signal of Kurs-MP (localizer)

354 - Switch on flight director arrows on PKP

355 - Button-lamp "Gliss". Includes pitch channel of ABSU to automatic ILS approach by signal of Kurs-MP (glidepath)

The TU-154 was made by Russians and was upgraded by the Russians and granted new avionics were installed, they didn't pull all of the old avionics that were compatible with Russian fields.

Navigation and landing system in the plane - Kurs-MP-70.

After all Tusk has political ties with Putin and still has to fly in Russia.

They did call out "on course, which is the lateral course and they did state on glideslope.

D: 4 and on course.

ATC tells the pilot 4km distance, (lateral) on course but no glideslope? ATC screwed up or it is missing from transcripts.

D: 2 and on course, on glideslope.

That is 2km distance, (lateral) on course and he is on the glideslope.

In a SRA, only azimuth is given and headings are called out to maintain centerline.

This was not a SRA.

And you are right, I am not ATC but have flown to know what a military PAR is and when ATC is screwing up.

And they lied in their interrogations.

Moreover, in a military PAR, the pilot's crew is calling out the height as cross check.

This is not out of the ordinary.

If for whatever reason you lose com with ATC (take note in the video I posted of the one controller when the other controller mistakenly turns off his screen while leading the aircraft in on the PAR), or erroroneus readings, the pilot is still aware of his height and DH.

And that is still not a guarantee.

As for how many calls?

Good point and that is a problem, because when the plane gets to within 2km, the call-outs should have been more frequent.

The accuracy of the radar is greater as the aircraft nears the airfield and is one reason for the increased call outs.

The Russians have stated the the CVR was damaged and some of the data in the last minutes were lost.

Which may explain why you don't see the ATC telling the TU-154 that DH was at 50 meters. But you do see the command to level at 50 which is done in a precision approach versus non-precision.

There was no MDA at 50 meters.

The Jak-40 crew heard ATC tell the crew DH was at 50 meters.

Why?

It was not a baro reading. It was a RA.

ST: 200. KVS: Turned on. ST: 150. D: 2 and on course, on glideslope. TERRAIN AHEAD, TERRAIN AHEAD. A: 100 metres. ST: 100. TAWS:PULL UP, PULL UP. TAWS:PULL UP, PULL UP. TAWS:TERRAIN AHEAD, TERRAIN AHEAD. ST: 100.

The aircraft was in a descent but the callout was 100 meters three times. With a baro reading that would not have happened.

The plane was entering the ravine and even though the plane was in descent the ground was moving away as they entered over the ravine.

ST: 50. D: Horizon 101. ST: 40. TAWS:PULL UP, PULL UP. ST: 30. D: Height control, horizon. ST: 20.

Moreover, they were at or below the airfield elevation when the crew was calling out reading(baro pressure is given in QFE), 50, 40 30, 20.

The RA was reading the upslope side as the TU-154 was trying to make its ascent on AP.

And the Jak-40 crew did not give a prevailing visibility nor proper height on the obscuration.

That is a fact.

They stated later, they saw the IL76 vear left of the centerline. And witnesses are stating they saw the Tu-154 come out of the F bnk as it was rising over the ravine.

Again, here is where the controller lied.

10:14:06,5: D: Polish Air Force 1-0-1, for information at 06:11 Smolensk visibility 400 meters fog

10:24:22,3: D: PLPH-2-0-1, there is fog at Korsaż, visibility 400 metres.

10:24:40,0:D: There is fog at Korsaż, visibility 400 metres.

Through interrogations ATC admitted that the visbility was 800 meters.

The Bulgarian press had evidence (before the transcripts came out) that there was an RVR of 500+ and I am not familiar with the type of equipment, but it would fit with what the actual visbility was.

Again no guarantee.

Back to your orginal statements; show me where the Russians warned the crew or stated several times to the aircrew to go to another airfield after ATC gave the Horizon command.

The Russian officials have lied many times on their stories.

And those are the facts.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

You can do better.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

If you think the TAWS warning was an indication that the readings were baro, you are wrong.

http://www.sandel.com/word.php/ST3400_AFMS_Sample_Class_A.doc.

"..The use of terrain awareness warning and terrain display function is prohibited during QFE operations."

Since the baro pressure was QFE, the TAWS would be usless.

The press however, made a big deal out of it and placed the focus on the pilot as if he was ignoring a warning. However, there was good reason to place the focus on ATC though when the TAWS warnings were going off. ATC had stated 2km out that the pilot was on course and on glideslope when he wasn't.

[MindBender26]

You can do better.

Actually, I could take the time and do much better.... but it would be a waste and the time is much better spend in other ways.

Conspiracy addicts soon wrap themselves into their own cocoon of delusion, as you have apparently done here.

They soon begin to depend on information that supports their delusional theories, no matter from wence it comes. Statements from supposed witnesses with no confirmation, experts whose credentials often only include a computer and keyboard, laws of physics or logic that are bent and broken to support and equally bent and broken hypotheses.

Soon white is black, up is down and actual facts are replaced by Alice in Wonderland delusional pseudo-thinking.

Conspiracy addicts have it even one better. They "know something," have divined "secret information" that is denied to the public. All of a sudden, they are Very Important People, sometimes at least inside their circle of co-conspirators, but usually just inside their own minds.

Soon they are dispensing technical jargon as if they know what it means. I remember one woman I interviewed. She was a self-appointed expert on the TWA Flight 800 incident. She was lecturing all across the country, but would often talk about hearing a "woosh" of a rocket as she saw it rise from a boat. (issue of speed of sound vs/ speed of light from boat 12 miles away.) She also insisted that the 747 burned "highly volatile gasoline." She had no idea what Jet A or JP-4 were.

That's where we are today with your fixation.

It would do me no good to try to debate it logically with you. You would "win" every time because the rules of logic or physics don't matter to you.

So please understand. I have simply abandoned arguing with you. It's sort of like teaching a pig to dance. It's a worthless exercise.

1. It doesn't work
2. It is a waste of time.
3. It's just frustrates the both of us, me and the pig.

[Yo-Yo]

There are still two huge glaring inconsistencies in your account of the facts, aside from the lack of linked references:

1) I referenced a source that said the Presidential aircraft was not compatible with the Russian PRMG ILS system, presumably as part of it's cockpit modernization undertaken in 2009. You state, without reference, that dual systems were on board.

2) You state that witnesses "saw the Tu-154 come out of the F bnk as it was rising over the ravine." If this is the case, again without references, then it shows that the fog at the crash site was worse than the fog at the airport, and the ATC did not lie to the aircraft about visibility and ceiling conditions at the airport.

And I'm sorry, but I showed you three PAR approaches from YouTube. I could have listed a dozen, and they all show a hundred times more calls from ATC than the two "calls" in the transcript. Until proven otherwise, there is no way the aircraft was under PAR control. One call at 4 kilometers and one call at 2 kilometers is not a PAR controlled approach.

And last, did the pilots not know how to read a topo map, and thus were unaware of the terrain surrounding the airport? It is part of the standard approach plates, especially at the point where the aircraft impacted the ground.

[Yo-Yo]

If you think the TAWS warning was an indication that the readings were baro, you are wrong.

No, I took the ATC command "D: Ahh... Polish 1-0-1, according to pressure 7-4-5, descend 500" and the cockpit reply "KVS: According to pressure 7-4-5, descending 500." to be an indication that the readings were baro.

Either the aircraft was using baro to descend, in which case the TAWS warnings were meaningless, or else the descent was RA, in which case the TAWS warnings proved to be correct. Which is it?

Earlier you said they were using RA because the altitude readings didn't change as they descended into the ravine, then you say TAWS is prohibited because they were using baro QFE. Please make up your mind which it was.

[Yo-Yo]

One other thing. You said:

Since the baro pressure was QFE, the TAWS would be usless.

If the aircraft did have QFE referenced baro altitude, then "zero" altitude is the airport. Why did they not notice a negative altitude as they flew through the ravine?

[Scythian]

Adrienne Barbeau has always been one of my favorite actresses ... This is Adrienne in the 1980 film "The Fog" ...

[Yo-Yo]

I remember that movie when it came out. Adrienne was a DJ in a small New England down, and she had a huge pair of...eyes.

I think it was one of her first movies after Maude. I also liked her in Gumball Rally and Escape from New York.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

You presume that the baro reading was at zero.

The barometrtic pressure that was given by ATC was from the civilian airfield 10km away.

And in a PAR which this was, as indicated by the DH signal in the transcripts, you use the RA.

And since the ATC guru was not properly certified and has “medical” issues that the Russians won’t state, the ATC were screw ups just like the Russian pilot that was on the Armanian flt that crashed in Sochi years back.

The controler was brought in for the April 10th flt. Hence his question to the pilot if he had ever flown to a military base.

The pilot was there 3 days earlier and landed on the opposite end of Runway 26.

The question should be from you, why did ATC tell the pilot he was on glideslope and on course when he wasn’t.

And you should have known that when you are landing PAR and the DH is called out by ATC at 50 meters and you don’t agree with the DH of 50 meters, your crew will tell you when you hit the minima or DH of 100 as they correctly did and then conduct your go around.

As I said before, if the crew had gone by the ATC’s 50 meters DH, they would have gone nose first into the upslope side of the ravine.

The sink rate combined with the lag time would have insured that.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

“...And last, did the pilots not know how to read a topo map, and thus were unaware of the terrain surrounding the airport? It is part of the standard approach plates, especially at the point where the aircraft impacted the ground.”

Have you even looked at the approach plate? The ravine is not there or even written about.

[dfwgator]

"The Fog Is Getting Thicker"

"AND LEON'S GETTING LAAAARGER!"

[theanchoragedailyruse]

Yeah yeah promises promises.

And I have flown on missions that have picked up dead pilots that knew more than you.

The first giveaway that you don’t know what you are talking about was when you thought the baro readback was the flt#, the second was not knowing a common aviation term f bnk, and the last was you never answered the question on what was the ILS system at the USSR airfield that you said you flew into.

But the one that really takes the cake, is your idea that somehow, the increased visibilty in the fog was caused by the crash.

That has to be one of the better ones I have heard. Did you forget that there was smoke obscuring the visibilty.

Good, take you own advice on stay off the threads.

[Yo-Yo]

You presume that the baro reading was at zero.

That is the definition of QFE.

The barometrtic pressure that was given by ATC was from the civilian airfield 10km away.

Source?

And in a PAR which this was, as indicated by the DH signal in the transcripts, you use the RA.

Source? There is no indication of Precision Approach Radar in use.

And since the ATC guru was not properly certified and has “medical” issues that the Russians won’t state, the ATC were screw ups just like the Russian pilot that was on the Armanian flt that crashed in Sochi years back.

Source?

The controler was brought in for the April 10th flt. Hence his question to the pilot if he had ever flown to a military base.

Source?

The pilot was there 3 days earlier and landed on the opposite end of Runway 26.

Source?

The question should be from you, why did ATC tell the pilot he was on glideslope and on course when he wasn’t.

The term "glideslope" was used only once in the english translations I've seen. As I previously demonstrated to the point of tedium, had the aircraft truly been under a PAR approach control, the term "glideslope" should have been in the transcripts literally scores of times. It was not.

And you should have known that when you are landing PAR and the DH is called out by ATC at 50 meters and you don’t agree with the DH of 50 meters, your crew will tell you when you hit the minima or DH of 100 as they correctly did and then conduct your go around.

Again, there is no evidence of a PAR approach.

As I said before, if the crew had gone by the ATC’s 50 meters DH, they would have gone nose first into the upslope side of the ravine.

The sink rate combined with the lag time would have insured that.

Again, if the aircraft were using radar altimeter, they shouldn't have ignored the TAWS. If the aircraft were using baro altimeter, they should have ignored the TAWS. They ignored the TAWS. You still insist that they were using baro altimeter when it is convenient to explain away the repeated TAWS warnings, insist they were using radar altimeter when it is convenient to explain away why they lowered into a ravine, and insist they were under PAR control when it is convenient to explain away that the ATC deliberately flew the aircraft into the ground.

You make assertion after assertion, with no references to back up your claims.

You know what? I agree with you. You have convinced me. The Russians conspired to deliberately kill the Polish President by directing the pilots, under precision approach radar control, to fly into a fog enshrouded ravine with zero-zero visibility.

They also provided the pilots with incorrect barometric pressure readings so that their baro altimeter would incorrectly state their altitude above terrain.

The Russians also insisted that the pilots ignore their baro altimeter, and use their radar altimeter instead, but ignore any TAWS warnings they may receive.

The Russians also insisted that in addition to the pilots flying under PAR control, that they also use the Russian PRMG instrument landing system, which was altered to force the aircraft to impact the ground short of the runway, and to the left of centerline.

The Russians did all of this with less than 2 hours advanced notice.

You make a strong case, and I agree 100% with you.

[MindBender26]

You keep confessing that you were on flights to pick up dead pilots. Did they die because of your erroneous weather briefings?

Secondly, you keep claiming that “fog bank: is an approved wx forecast term. Here is a list of the approved terms.

Approved Aviation Weather Abbreviations:

A PREDEDING 4 DIGITS ALTIMETER (METAR)
A01 AUTOMATED OBSERVATION WITHOUT PRECIPITATION DISCRIMINATOR
A02 AUTOMATED OBSERVATION WITH PRECIPITATION DISCRIMINATOR
AAWF AUXILIARY AVIATION WEATHER FACILITY
ACYC ANTICYCLONIC
ADV ADVISE
ADVCTN ADVECTION
ADVY ADVISORY
AFC AREA FORECAST CENTER
AFDK AFTER DARK
ALF ALOFT
ALSEC ALL SECTORS
ALQDS ALL QUADRANTS
ALWF ACTUAL WIND FACTOR
AMD AMENDED FORECAST (TAF)
AMS AIR MASS
ANLYS ANALYSIS
ASOS AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM
ATLC ATLANTIC
AURBO AURORA BOREALIS
AUTO AUTOMATED (METAR) NO HUMAN INTERVENTION
AWOS AUTOMATIC WEATHER OBSERVING/REPORTING SYSTEM
AWP AVIATION WEATHER PROCESSORS

B BEGINNING OF PRECIPITATION (TIME IN MINUTES) (WX REPORTS ONLY)
BCH BEACH
BCKG BACKING
BDA BERMUDA
BECMG BECOMING(EXPECTED BETWEEN 2 DIGIT BEGINNING HOUR AND 2 DIGIT ENDING HOUR)
BFDK BEFORE DARK
BINOVC BREAKS IN OVERCAST BKN BROKEN BL BETWEEN LAYERS
BL BLOWING (METAR)
BLD BUILD
BLDUP BUILDUP
BLKT BLANKET
BLO BELOW (ICAO)
BLO BELOW CLOUDS (METAR)
BLW BELOW (ICAO)
BLZD BLIZZARD
BMS BASIC METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
BNDRY BOUNDARY
BOVC BASE OF OVERCAST
BRF BRIEF
BRK BREAK
BRKHIC BREAKS IN HIGHER OVERCAST
BRM BAROMETER
BTL BETWEEN LAYERS
BTWN BETWEEN

C CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (TIME GROUPS ONLY)
C CONTINENTAL (AIR MASS)
CA CLEAR ABOVE (PIREP ONLY)
CAN CANADA
CARIB CARIBBEAN
CASCDS CASCADES
CAT CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE (GENERAL)
CAVOK CLOUD AND VISIBILITY OK (METAR)
CAVU CLEAR OR SCATTERED CLOUDS AND VISIBILIY GREATER THAN TEN MILES
CAWS COMMON AVIATION WEATHER SUB-SYSTEM
CCLKWS COUNTERCLOCKWISE
CDFNT COLD FRONT
CFP COLD FRONT PASSAGE
CHARC CHARACTERISTIC
CHC CHANCE
CHSPK CHESAPEAKE
CIG CEILING
CLD CLOUD
CLR CLEAR AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET (AWOS/ASOS/METAR)
CLR CLEAR
CLRS CLEAR AND SMOOTH
CNCL CANCEL
CNDN CANADIAN
CNVTV CONVECTIVE
CONFDC CONFIDENCE
CONT CONTINUE OR CONTINUOUSLY (GEN)
CONTDVD CONTINENTAL DIVIDE
COR CORRECTION TO THE OBSERVATION
CST COAST
CTGY CATEGORY
CTSKLS CATSKILLS
CYC CYCLONIC
CYCLGN CYCLOGENESIS

DABRK DAYBREAK
DCAVU CLEAR/SCATTERED CLOUDS. VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10, REMAINDER OF REPORT MISSING
DKTS DAKOTAS
DMSH DIMINISH
DNS DENSE
DNSLP DOWNSLOPE
DNSTRM DOWNSTREAM
DPNG DEEPENING
DPTH DEPTH
DR LOW DRIFTING (METAR)
DRFT DRIFT
DRZL DRIZZLE
DSIPT DISSIPATE
DTLN INTERNATIONAL DATELINE
DTRT DETERIORATE
DURC DURING CLIMB (PIREP)
DURD DURING DECENT (PIREP)
DVV DOWNWARD VERTICAL VELOCITY
DWNDRTS DOWNDRAFTS
DWPNT DEW POINT

E EASTERN STANDARD TIME (TIME GROUPS ONLY)
E ENDING OF PRECIPITATION (IN MINUTE-METAR)
E EQUATORIAL (AIR MASS)
E ESTIMATED (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
ELNGT ELONGATE
EMBDD EMBEDDED
EMSU ENVIRONMENT METEOROLOGICAL SUPPORT UNIT
ENERN EAST-NORTHEASTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
ENEWD EAST-NORTHEASTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
EOF EXPECTED OPERATIONS FORECAST
ESERN EAST-SOUTHEASTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
ESEWD EAST-SOUTHEASTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
EXTRAP EXTRAPOLATE
EXTRM EXTREME

FA AREA FORECAST
FAH FAHRENHEIT
FEW 1 OR 2 OCTAS (EIGHTHS) CLOUD COVERAGE
FIBI FILED BUT IMPRACTICAL TO TRANSMIT
FILG FILLING
FINO WEATHER REPORT WILL NOT BE FILED FOR TRANSMISSION
/FL ALTITUDE/FLIGHT LEVEL (PIREP)
FL FLASH ADVISORY
FLDST FLOOD STAGE
FLG FALLING
FLWIS FLOOD WARNING ISSUED
FM FROM (4 DIGIT BEGINNING TIME IN HOURS AND MINUTES)
FNT FRONT
FNTGNS FRONTOGENESIS
FNTLYS FRONTOLYSIS
FORNN FORENOON
FRMG FORMING
FROPA FRONTAL PASSAGE
FROSFC FRONTAL SURFACE
FRST FROST
FRWF FORECAST WIND FACTOR
FRZ FREEZE
FRZLVL FREEZING LEVEL
FRZN FROZEN FT FEET (GEN)
FRQ FREQUENT (ICAO)
FULYR SMOKE LAYER ALOFT
FUOCTY SMOKE OVER CITY
FWC FLEET WEATHER CENTRAL

G GUSTS REACHING (KNOTS) (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
GICG GLAZE ICING
GLFALSK GULF OF ALASKA
GLFCAL GULF OF CALIFORNIA
GLFMEX GULF OF MEXICO
GNDFG GROUND FOG
GRAD GRADIENT
GRBNKS GRAND BANKS
GRDL GRADUAL
GRTLKS GREAT LAKES
GSTS GUSTS
GSTY GUSTY
GV GROUND VISIBILITY

HCVIS HIGH CLOUDS VISIBLE
HDFRZ HARD FREEZE
HDSVLY HUDSON VALLEY
HI HIGH
HIEAT HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED FOR ALL TIME
HIEFM HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED FOR THE MONTH
HIESE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED SO EARLY
HIESL HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED SO LATE
HIFOR HIGH LEVEL FORECAST
HITMP HIGHEST TEMPERATURE
HIXAT HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED FOR ALL TIME
HIXFM HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED FOR THE MONTH
HIXSE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED SO EARLY
HIXSL HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED SO LATE
HLSTO HAILSTONES
HLTP HILLTOP
HLYR HAZE LAYER ALOFT
HURCN HURRICANE
HUREP HURRICANE REPORT
HX HIGH INDEX

/IC ICING (PIREP ONLY)
ICG ICING
ICGIC ICING IN CLOUDS
ICGICIP ICING IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION
ICGIP ICING IN PRECIPITATION

IMC INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
IMDT IMMEDIATE
INLD INLAND
INSTBY INSTABILITY
INTR INTERIOR
INTS INTENSE
INTSFY INTENSIFY
INVRN INVERSION
IOVC IN OVERCAST
IR ICE ON RUNWAY
ISOLD ISOLATED (GENERAL)

JTSTR JET STREAM

K COLD (AIR MASS)
KFRST KILLING FROST
KT KNOTS (FOLLOWS WIND DIRECTION/SPEED - GENERAL)

LABRDR LABRADOR
LCTMP LITTLE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE
LDG LANDING
LFT LIFT
LGRNG LONG RANGE
LGT LIGHT (PIREP)
LIFR LOW IFR (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
LK LAKE
LLWS LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR (PIREP)
LN LINE (GENERAL)
LOEAT LOWEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED FOR ALL TIME
LOEFM LOWEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED FOR THE MONTH
LOESE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED SO EARLY
LOESL LOWEST TEMPERATURE EQUALED SO LATE
LOTMP LOWEST TEMPERATURE
LOXAT LOWEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED FOR ALL TIME
LOXFM LOWEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED FOR THE MONTH
LOXSE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED SO EARLY
LOXSL LOWEST TEMPERATURE EXCEEDED SO LATE
LSR LOOSE SNOW ON RUNWAY
LTG LIGHTNING
LTGCA LIGHTNING CLOUD-TO-AIR
LTGCC LIGHTNING CLOUD-TO-CLOUD
LTGCCCG LIGHTNING CLOUD-TO-CLOUD, CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LTGCG LIGHTNING CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LTGCW LIGHTNING CLOUD-TO-WATER
LTGIC LIGHTNING IN CLOUDS
LTLCG LITTLE CHANGE
LTNG LIGHTNING
LX LOW INDEX
LYR LAYER OR LAYERED OR LAYERS

M MARITIME (AIR MASS)
M IN TEMPERATURE FIELD MEANS “MINUS” OR BELOW ZERO (METAR)
M IN RVR LISTING INDICATES VISIBILITY LESS THAN LOWEST REPORTABLE SENSOR VALUE
M MISSING (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY) M MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME (TIME GROUPS ONLY)
MA MAP ANALYSIS
MAN MANITOBA
MEGG MERGING
METAR AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (ICAO)
MEX MEXICO
MHKVLY MOHAWK VALLEY
MI SHALLOW (METAR)
MIDN MIDNIGHT
MIFG PATCHES OF SHALLOW FOG NOT DEEPER THAN TWO METERS (METAR)
MLTLVL MELTING LEVEL
MMO MAIN METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE
MNLD MAINLAND
MOD MODERATE (PIREP)
MOGR MODERATE OR GREATER
MONTR MONITOR
MOV MOVE
MRGL MARGINAL
MRNG MORNING
MRTM MARITIME
MS MINUS
MSTLY MOSTLY
MSTR MOISTURE
MTN MOUNTAIN
MVFR MARGINAL VFR
MX MIXED, ICING TYPE (PIREP)
MXD MIXED

NB NEW BRUNSWICK
NCWX NO CHANGE IN WEATHER
NELY NORTHEASTERLY (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NERN NORTHEASTERN
NEW ENG NEW ENGLAND
NFLD NEWFOUNDLAND
NGT NIGHT
NL NO LAYERS
NMBR NUMBER
NNERN NORTH-NORTHEASTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NNEWD NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NNWRN NORTH-NORTHWESTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NNWWD NORTHWESTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NO NOT AVAILABLE (E.G. SLPNO, RVRNO)
NORPI NO PILOT BALLOON OBSERVATION WILL BE FILED. NEXT COLLECTION UNLESS WEATHER CHANGES SIGNIFICANTLY
NOSPL NO SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS TAKEN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NPRS NONPERSISTENT
NS NOVA SCOTIA
NSCSWD NO SMALL CRAFT OR STORM WARNING ARE BEING DISPLAYED
NSW NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER (TAF)
NVA NEGATIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION
NWLY NORTHWESTERLY (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
NWRN NORTHWESTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)

OBS OBSERVATION
OBSC OBSCURE
OCFNT OCCLUDED FRONT
OCLD OCCLUDE
OCLN OCCLUSION
OCNL OCCASIONAL (GENERAL)
OFP OCCLUDED FRONTAL PASSAGE
OFSHR OFFSHORE
OMTNS OVER MOUNTAINS
ONSHR ON SHORE
ONT ONTARIO
ORGPHC OROGRAPHIC
OSV OCEAN STATION VESSEL
OTAS ON TOP AND SMOOTH
OTLK OUTLOOK
OTP ON TOP (PIREP)
/OV LOCATION (PIREP ONLY)
OVC OVERCAST

P IN RVR INDICATES VISIBILITY GREATER THAN HIGHEST REPORTABLE SENSOR VALUE E.G. P6000FT
PACIFIC STANDARD TIME (TIME GROUP ONLY)
POLAR (AIR MASS)
P6SM VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 6 SM (TAF ONLY)
PAC PACIFIC
PBL PROBABLE
PCPN PRECIPITATION
PDMT PREDOMINANT
PDMT PREDOMINATE
PDW PRIORITY DELAYED WEATHER
PEN PENINSULA
PGTSND PUGET SOUND
PIBAL PILOT BALLOON OBSERVATION
PISE NO PILOT BALLOON OBSERVATION DUE TO UNFAVORABLE SEA CONDITIONS
PISO NO PILOT BALLOON OBSERVATION DUE TO SNOW
PIWI NO PILOT BALLOON OBSERVATION DUE TO HIGH, OR GUSTY, SURFACE WIND
PK WND PEAK WIND
PLW PLOW (SNOW)
PNHDL PANHANDLE
PO DUST/SAND WHIRLS (METAR)
PPINA RADAR WEATHER REPORTS NOT AVAILABLE
PPINE RADAR WEATHER REPORT NO ECHOES OBSERVED
PPINO RADAR WEATHER REPORT EQUIPMENT INOPEERATIVE DUE TO BREAKSOWN
PPIOK RADAR WEATHER REPORT EQUIPMENT OPERATION RESUMED
PPIOM RADAR WEATHER REPORT EQUIPMENT INOPERATIVE DUE TO MAINTENANCE
PR PARTIAL (METAR)
PRBLTY PROBABILITY
PRESFR PRESSURE FALLING RAPIDLY
PRESRR PRESSURE RISING RAPIDLY
PRFG FOG PARTIAL (METAR)
PRJMP PRESSURE JUMP (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
PROB30 SLIGHT CHANCE, PROBABLILITY 30 PERCENT (TAF)
PROB40 PROBABILITY 40 PERCENT (TAF)
PROG PROGNOSIS OR PROGNOSTIC
PRSNT PRESENT
PS PLUS
PSG PASSAGE PSG PASSING
PSR PACKED SNOW ON RUNWAY
PTCHY PATCHY
PTLY PARTLY
PVA POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION
PWINO PRECIPITATION IDENTIFIER INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)

R RUNWAY (USED IN RVR MEASUREMENT)
RABA NO RAWIN OBSERVATION, NO BALLOOS AVAILABLE
RABAL RADIOSONDE BALLOON WIND DATA
RABAR RADIOSONDE BALLOON RELEASE
RACO NO RAWIN OBSERVATION, COMMUNICATIONS OUT
RADAT RADIOSONDE OBSERVATION DATA
RADNO REPORT MISSING ACCOUNT RADIO FAILURE
RAFI RADIOSONDE OBSERVATION NOT FILED
RAFRZ RADIOSONDE OBSERVATION FREEZING LEVELS
RAHE NO RAWIN OBSERVATION, NO GAS AVAILABLE
RAICG RADIOSONDE OBSERVATION ICING AT
RAOB RADIOSONDE OBSERVATION
RAPI RADIOSONDE REPORT ALREADY SENT IN
PIBAL COLLECTION
RAREP RADAR WEATHER REPORT
RASN RAIN AND SNOW (METAR)
RAVU RADIOSONDE ANALYSIS AND VERIFICATION UNIT
RAWE NO RAWIN OBSERVATION, UNFAVORABLE WEATHER
RAWI NO RAWIN OBSERVATION, HIGH AND GUSTY WINDS
RAWIN UPPER WINDS OBSERVATION (BY RADIO METHODS)
RCD RADAR CLOUD DETECTION REPORT
RCDNA RADAR CLOUD DETECTION REPORT NOT AVAILABLE
RCDNE RADAR CLOUD DETECTION REPORT NO ECHOES OBSERVED
RCDNO RADAR CLOUD DECTECTOR INOPERATIVE DUE TO BREAKDOWN UNTIL
RCDOM RADAR CLOUD DETECTOR INOPERATIVE DUE TO MAINTENANCE UNTIL
RCKY ROCKY (MOUNTAINS)
RDG RIDGE
RDWND RADAR DOME WIND
RESTR RESTRICT
RGD RAGGED
RH RELATIVE HUMIDITY
RHINO RADAR ECHO HEIGHT INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE
RHINO RADAR RANGE HEIGHT INDICATOR NOT OPERATING ON SCAN
RIOGD RIO GRANDE
/RM REMARKS (PIREP)
RMK REMARK
RNFL RAINFALL
ROBEPS RADAR OPERATING BELOW PRESCRIBED STANDARD
RPD RAPID
RSG RISING
RUF ROUGH
RY/RWY RUNWAY

SA SAND (METAR)
SASK SASKATCHEWAN
SBSD SUBSIDE
SCT SCATTERED
SELS SEVERE LOCAL STORMS
SELY SOUTHEASTERLY (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SERN SOUTHEASTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SEV SEVERE (ICAO)
SFERICS ATMOSPHERICS
SGD SOLAR-GEOPHYSICAL DATA
SHFT SHIFT (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SHLW SHALLOW
SHRTLY SHORTLY
SIERNEV SIERRA NEVADA
SIR SNOW AND ICE ON RUNWAY
/SK SKY CONDITIONS (PIREP ONLY)
SKC SKY CLEAR
SLD SOLID
SLP SEA LEVEL PRESSURE
SLR SLUSH ON RUNWAY
SLT SLEET
SM STATUTE MILE(S)
SMK SMOKE
SMTH SMOOTH
SNBNK SNOWBANK
SNFLK SNOWFLAKE
SNOINCR SNOW DEPTH INCREASE IN PAST HOUR
SNW SNOW
SNWFL SNOWFALL
SP STATION PRESSURE
SPECI SPECIAL REPORT
SPKL SPRINKLE
SPLNS SOUTH PLAINS
SPRD SPREAD
SQ SQUALL (METAR)
SQAL SQUALL
SQLN SQUALL LINE
SSERN SOUTH-SOUTHEASTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SSEWD SOUTH-SOUTHEASTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SSWRN SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SSWWD SOUTH-SOUTHWESTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
STAGN STAGNATION
STG STRONG
STM STORM
STNRY STATIONARY
SWLG SWELLING
SWLY SOUTHWESTERLY (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SWRN SOUTHWESTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
SX STABILITY INDEX
SXN SECTION
SYNOP SYNOPTIC
SYNS SYNOPSIS

T TRACE (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
TROPICAL (AIR MASS)
/TA AIR TEMPERATURE (PIREP)
TAF AVIATION TERMINAL FORECAST
/TB TURBULENCE (PIREPS ONLY)
TCU TOWERING CUMULUS
TEMPO TEMPORARY CHANGES EXPECTED
THD THUNDERHEAD (NON METAR)
THDR THUNDER (NON METAR)
THK THICK
THN THIN
TKOF TAKEOFF
/TM TIME (PIREP)
TOP CLOUD TOP
TOVC TOP OF OVERCAST
/TP TYPE AIRCRAFT (PIREP ONLY)
TPG TOPPING
TRIB TRIBUTARY
TROF TROUGH
TROP TROPOPAUSE
TRPCD TROPICAL CONTINENTAL (AIR MASS)
TRPCL TROPICAL
TRPLYR TRAPPING LAYER
TS THUNDERSTORM
TSHWR THUNDERSHOWER (NON METAR)
TSQLS THUNDERSQUALLS (NON METAR)
TSTM THUNDERSTORM (NON METAR)
TURBC TURBULENCE
TURBT TURBLENT
TWRG TOWERING

UA ROUTINE PIREP
UAG UPPER ATMOSPHERE GEOPHYSICS
UDDF UP AND DOWN DRAFTS
UNSBL UNSEASONABLE
UNSTBL UNSTABLE
UNSTDY UNSTEADY
UNSTL UNSETTLE
UP UNKNOWN PRECIPITATION (AUTOMATED OBSERVATIONS)
UPDFTS UPDRAFTS
UPR UPPER
UPSLP UPSLOPE
UPSTRM UPSTREAM
UUA URGENT PIREP
UVV UPWARD VERTICAL VELOCITY
UWNDS UPPER WINDS

V VARIES (WINDS DIRECTION AND RVR)
VARIABLE (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
VA VOLCANIC ASH (METAR)
VC VICINITY
VCFG FOG IN VICINITY (METAR)
VIS VISIBILITY (GENERAL)
VLCTY VELOCITY
VLNT VIOLENT
VLY VALLEY
VR VEER
VRB VARIABLE WIND DIRECTION WHEN SPEED IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 6 KNOTS
VRISL VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC
VSBY VISIBILITY
VSBYDR VISIBILITY DECREASING RAPIDLY
VSBYIR VISIBILITY INCREASING RAPIDLY
VV VERTICAL VISBILITY (INDEFINITE CEILING)

W WARM (AIR MASS)
WA AIRMET
WDC-1 WORLD DATA CENTERS IN WESTERN EUROPE
WDC-2 WORLD DATA CENTERS THROUGHOUT REST OF WORLD
WDLY WIDELY
WDSPRD WIDESPREAD
WEA SEATHER
WFP WARM FRONT PASSAGE
WINT WINTER
WND WIND
WNWRN WEST-NORTHWESTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
WNWWD WEST-NORTHWESTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
WPLTO WESTERN PLATEAU
WR WET RUNWAY
WRM WARM
WRMFNT WARM FRONT
WRNG WARNING
WS WIND SHEAR (IN TAFs, LOW LEVEL AND NOT ASSOCIATED WITH CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY)
SIGMET
WSHFT WIND SHIFT
WSOM WEATHER SERVICE OPERATIONS MANUAL
WSR WET SNOW ON RUNWAY
WSTCH WATCH RANGE
WSWRN WEST-SOUTHWESTERN (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
WSWWD WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY)
WTR WATER
WTSPT WATERSPOUT
WV WAVE
/WV WIND AT ALTITUDE ONLY (PIREP ONLY)
WW SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST
/WX FLIGHT VISIBILITY AND FLIGHT WEATHER (PIREP)
WXCON WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT PILOT REPORT

XCP EXCEPT
XPC EXPECT Y YUKON STANDARD TIME (TIME GROUPS ONLY)

YKN YUKON
YLSTN YELLOWSTONE

Z APPENDED DATE-TIME GROUPE INDICATES UTC (METAR/TAF)
ZI ZONAL INDEX
ZONE OF INTERIOR
ZRNO FREEZING RAIN INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE (WEATHER REPORTS ONLY

Can we find the term "Fog Bank?" I didn't think so.

You keep asking about the ILS for 34R at Petropavlovsk, and what did I find there.... Two polar bears screwing in the warmth of the vents on the NDB transmitter?

Are you asking about outer marker? There is an NDB at the OM and one at the MM too, from their old multiple NDB approaches. The ILS for 34R is an overlay approach for the old NDB. There is also an NDB for a non-standard procedure turn for the 34R ILS.... and it was almost as much fun as the old 2-frequency Runway 13 ILS/backcourse approach for Kai Tak

Actually, disregard all the above. You would never understand it.

Actually, you are right. The Russian purposely killed the Polish president. The pilot did not try to sneak in under the minimums. There was no post crash fire. You are right about everything.

Happy?

[Yo-Yo]

Actually, you are right. The Russian purposely killed the Polish president. The pilot did not try to sneak in under the minimums. There was no post crash fire. You are right about everything.

Hey now! Stop stealing my lines...

[MindBender26]

It was the Russians.... and the Joooz... and the bicycle riders.

More precisely, depending on the baro pressure set in millibars (millibars are places where very very very short Russians go to pick up chicks in an alcohol-indiced fog bank), it was Joooozish Russian PAR operators who were all Polish-hating secret KGB-tyes.... who all rode bicycles to their dastardly work!

So there!

AnchorageAchmadenajob was right!

[MindBender26]

You cannot leave a Russian airport in a civilian plane without getting a route briefing, a facilities briefing and a weather briefing.

Ever get a WX briefing from a Russian? It takes at least 45 minutes MINIMUM in sorta-Engligh.... and that’s for a CAVU day from Borispol (Kiev West) to Tupalova (Kiev West) to Chernonyl and rtn in a Ka-26. A real truck. Nothing boosted. No autoanything. Right engine burned a 2 liters of farm tractor oil per hour. Not even a magneto check.

Check out was “Americkanski, here, sit, turn on here, gas here, put needhles here all time, flies just like a Zuhey. I take off door so you can run if crashink. Go fly! Bring back!” I loved it!

All in all, a 3 hour block to block flight in a with a great 80 minute lunch took 1:15 of briefings.

Or the forecaster is drunk on the couch, so you read the currents, the forecasts, the winds aloft and the prog charts... and leave a $20 and depart.

Would leave but can’t fly without a briefing from AnchorageAchmadenajob... our weather briefer.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

LOL. What did you do have to look up the ILS? Sorry time was up.

Actually it is “f bnk” in the remarks section of a Form 10b and I know you have never seen or even printed an observation on the form and I know you never looked in a FMH1b.

There are other remarks like “cold fog dsprl” and other abbreviations that aren’t listed.

Carry on...

And when are you going to ignore me? You keep breaking your promise.