FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATM)Meteorology and Weather ServicesMedium
A dispatcher needs a forecast product that graphically depicts ceiling, visibility, sky cover, precipitation, and turbulence over the continental United States in 3-hour increments for the next 15 hours. Which FAA/NWS product should the dispatcher consult?
- AConvective Outlook
- BArea Forecast (FA)
- CGraphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA)
- DSurface Analysis Chart
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA)
The Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA) is a web-based, interactive tool that replaced the textual Area Forecast, providing graphical depictions of ceiling, visibility, sky cover, precipitation, icing, and turbulence in 3-hour increments out to 15 hours and 6-hour increments out to 48 hours across the CONUS.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The Convective Outlook forecasts general severe weather/thunderstorm potential, not detailed ceiling/visibility data.
- B. The textual Area Forecast (FA) was discontinued for the CONUS and replaced by the GFA.
- D. The Surface Analysis Chart shows current observed conditions, not a forecast product.
Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA)
A web-based interactive tool providing graphical aviation weather forecasts including ceiling, visibility, wind, icing, and turbulence across the CONUS.
- Replaced the textual Area Forecast (FA) for CONUS
- 3-hour increments out to 15 hours, 6-hour out to 48 hours
- Covers ceiling/visibility, clouds, precipitation, turbulence, icing, wind
Memory trick: GFA = 'Graphic Flight Atlas' showing the whole sky picture in time slices.