PLT492: Temperature And Convection
What code PLT492 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Temperature And Convection before your checkride.
Recall temperature - effects on weather formations
What this means for your checkride
Uneven heating of the Earth's surface upsets the equilibrium of the atmosphere and creates convective currents, rising and descending air that drives cloud formation and turbulence. Temperature differences from surface heating are a primary cause of these vertical air movements.
Surface heating and the resulting convection explain much of the weather and turbulence pilots encounter, so the temperature link is tested.
Students may attribute all turbulence to wind alone; convective currents from uneven surface heating are a major cause.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.