Exercise 8 - Interview with co-pilot


Interview with co-pilot
 
Interview with co-pilot
 
 
Pilot: There was an interesting weather phenomenon when we took off from Rome today. There was a very distinct weather change over the Alps. We see from our instruments that we have a strong headwind. Just now its speed is 82 knots. As long as we have this wind against us we have this Foehn effect because the air comes down from the Alps and is warmed adiabatically, and therefore the air dries up. We saw that very clearly in Northern Italy.

Q: Is that something you often see?

Pilot: Well, yes, in a way.. As long as we fly across the mountains it is a relatively common phenomenon, but we seldom really think about what causes it. We often see it in Norway when flying across the mountains. In Norway there is often a big difference between the weather in the west and north-west and then in the east. In the east the weather is often fair and dry and the complete opposite in Vestlandet. And it is exactly the same weather phenomenon as here.

Q: Does it affect your flying the plane at all?

Pilot: No, not at all. There is so little headwind up here at the altitudes where we fly. But if you're flying lower down it may have a certain influence.

Q: Thank you. Where are we now?

Pilot: Let me see. (The pilot consults his instruments) Hannover!
 
 
 Click to see and hear the interview.

Evaluate the importance of the Foehn weather conditions for the flight.

Analyse, with the help of an atlas, the weather conditions in Norway.

 
 
  
Last update: 17 April 2013


Foehn

 •  Introduction (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMX5TJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Background (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMA6TJTYRF_0.html)

Exercises

 •  Introduction (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMS6TJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Photos from the plane (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMI7TJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Meteosat images (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMG8TJTYRF_0.html)
 •  NOAA images (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMS8TJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Cloud film (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEME9TJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Surface maps (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMEATJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Jet Stream (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMQATJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Simulation of the
Foehn situation (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMYBTJTYRF_0.html)
 •  Find other examples (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMLCTJTYRF_0.html)

Links

 •  Satellite images from Sarepta (http://www.sarepta.org/index.php)
 •  METEOSAT images from EUMETSAT (http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/IPPS/html/MSG/IMAGERY/IR039/BW/index.htm)
 •  Surface maps (http://www.wetterzentrale.de/)
 •  Internet Weather source (http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/ccworld.html)
 •  NOAA (http://www.noaa.gov/)
 •  European weather charts (http://www.meteo.uni-koeln.de/meteo.php?show=En_We_We)
 •  Jet Stream (http://meteorology.lyndonstate.edu/data/web/upperair/jet/globjet.gif)
 •  Forecast Charts for the Jet Stream (http://www.ecmwf.int/products/forecasts/d/charts)

Videos

 •  Cloud video (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/FohnFilm.avi)
 •  Lakes of Albani and Nemi video (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/Nemi.avi)
 •  Plains of Po river valley and foothills of the Alps video (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/Alperne.avi)
 •  Cloud cover south of Hanover, Germany video (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/Hannover.avi)
 •  Development of weather systems animation (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/500Hpa.avi)
 •  Interview with co-pilot (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/Fohn_26.avi)
 •  Mathematical simulation of foehn
situation, 15-16 March 2000 (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/eduspace/foehn_simul_000316_grid1.avi)

Eduspace - Download

 •  LEOWorks 3 (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/LEOWorks3.exe)