A remote pilot plans a flight near an airport whose only weather station is an AWOS. According to the Aviation Weather Handbook, how does an AWOS generate reports?
- AIt generates a METAR at 20-minute intervals and does not report SPECIs
- BIt generates hourly METARs and a SPECI whenever a weather threshold is exceeded
- CIt generates a report only when a pilot requests one by radio
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. It generates a METAR at 20-minute intervals and does not report SPECIs
AWOS is similar to ASOS but generally reports fewer elements. It generates a METAR every 20 minutes and does not report SPECIs; ASOS issues SPECIs when thresholds are exceeded.
- A. Correct. The AWH states that AWOS generates a METAR at 20-minute intervals and does not report SPECIs.
- B. Incorrect. That describes ASOS, which disseminates hourly and special observations.
- C. Incorrect. AWOS generates METARs automatically at 20-minute intervals and also provides one-minute observations by phone or radio.
Source
FAA-H-8083-28B Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.3.2 Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) AWOS generates a METAR at 20-minute intervals and does not report SPECIs.
FAA-H-8083-28B Aviation Weather Handbook, 24.3.1 Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) ASOS detects significant changes, disseminating hourly and special observations.