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decipher ATIS

Featured Replies

Hi

 

I am trying to decipher this but get confused with the altitudes

 

YPKS 052200Z AUTO 12004KT 9999 // OVC006 03/03 Q1023 RMK RF00.0/002.2

 

Is OVC006  = overcast at 600 feet or 60 feet?

I7-10700F RTX 3070 32 Gig Ram

600 feet.

May all your landings be safe ones!

Hugh Costello - NZWN

 

  • Author

awesome thanks!

I7-10700F RTX 3070 32 Gig Ram

Here is the metar decoder I use:

https://metarreader.com/

CPU: Core i5-6600K 4 core (3.5GHz) - overclock to 4.3 | RAM: (1066 MHz) 16GB
MOBO: ASUS Z170 Pro |  GeForce GTX 1070 8GB | MONITOR: 2560 X 1440 2K

  • Author

great need those sites for future!

I7-10700F RTX 3070 32 Gig Ram

Thanks for the decoder websites.  I’ve gotten pretty good at reading METARs for the most part (I can even remember that BR = brume = mist) but every once and a while I come across something that throws me for a loop.

Dave

Current System (Running at 4k): ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-F, Ryzen 7800X3D, RTX 5090, 55" Samsung Q80T, 64GB DDR5 6000 RAM, EVGA CLC 280mm AIO Cooler, Brunner CLS-E NG Yoke, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS & Stick, Thrustmaster TCA Quadrant & Add-on, VirtualFly Ruddo+, TQ6+ and Yoko+, GoFlight MCP-PRO and EFIS, Skalarki FCU and MCDU

4 hours ago, clayton4115 said:

Hi

 

I am trying to decipher this but get confused with the altitudes

 

YPKS 052200Z AUTO 12004KT 9999 // OVC006 03/03 Q1023 RMK RF00.0/002.2

 

Is OVC006  = overcast at 600 feet or 60 feet?

This is METAR. ATIS broadcast "altitudes" in MSL (altitude over sea level) while METAR in AGL (altitude over ground). For example YPKS elevation 1069 ft so OVC006 so overcast is 1069ft+600ft=1669ft MSL. MSL is what aircraft in most countries read on altimeter gauge . Also notice no spread between temperature and dew point 03/03 which implies  fog 

Life time flight sim enthusiast, current airplane owner 172P (past C182F). FAA CP/IR ASEL/AMEL, FI ASEL

My System: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D , MSI X870 GAMING PLUS, 64G RAM, ASUS RTX5090, 4T SSD

Put my hands on (pic/dual/given)

7GCAA, 8KCAB, BE24, BE76, BE35-C33, BE35, C150, C152, C172B/N/P/R/SP, 182F, M20E,M20C, M20J, AT6(SNJ4), PA28-140,PA28-151, PA28-161,PA28-181,PA28RT-201,PA28R-180/201T, PA24-250, PA32-300R, PA44, AC114, YAK-18T, YAK-52, SR22

 

  • Author

nice explanation thanks!

I7-10700F RTX 3070 32 Gig Ram

  • Author

so in the above scenario, if the metar was showing 1669 feet and the DA is 1440 feet I could take off and commence my journey to YPKS?

https://ibb.co/RQ8P0sG

 

I7-10700F RTX 3070 32 Gig Ram

3 hours ago, clayton4115 said:

so in the above scenario, if the metar was showing 1669 feet and the DA is 1440 feet I could take off and commence my journey to YPKS?

https://ibb.co/RQ8P0sG

 

Probably not. 

The METAR is missing visibility information, but considering that the temperature and dewpoint readings point to fog, that means that the top layer of the fog is at 1669ft and you won't be seeing anything below that layer. Most certainly not the 2.3 KM's required for the approach.

7 hours ago, sd_flyer said:

This is METAR. ATIS broadcast "altitudes" in MSL (altitude over sea level) while METAR in AGL (altitude over ground).

Cloud bases in the ATIS are AGL (or more precisely, AAL - above aerodrome level), just like METARs. 

22 minutes ago, Farlis said:

Probably not. 

The METAR is missing visibility information,

There is a visibility measurement in the METAR: 9999, meaning greater than 10 km. 

3 hours ago, clayton4115 said:

so in the above scenario, if the metar was showing 1669 feet and the DA is 1440 feet I could take off and commence my journey to YPKS?

https://ibb.co/RQ8P0sG

 

You should break out above minimums if the conditions don't become worse, but you should check the TAF too and plan for an alternate.

2 hours ago, martinboehme said:

Cloud bases in the ATIS are AGL (or more precisely, AAL - above aerodrome level), just like METARs. 

You are right ! I mixed up with PIREP

Life time flight sim enthusiast, current airplane owner 172P (past C182F). FAA CP/IR ASEL/AMEL, FI ASEL

My System: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D , MSI X870 GAMING PLUS, 64G RAM, ASUS RTX5090, 4T SSD

Put my hands on (pic/dual/given)

7GCAA, 8KCAB, BE24, BE76, BE35-C33, BE35, C150, C152, C172B/N/P/R/SP, 182F, M20E,M20C, M20J, AT6(SNJ4), PA28-140,PA28-151, PA28-161,PA28-181,PA28RT-201,PA28R-180/201T, PA24-250, PA32-300R, PA44, AC114, YAK-18T, YAK-52, SR22

 

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