PLT518: Low-Level Wind Shear
What code PLT518 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Low-Level Wind Shear before your checkride.
Recall windshear - characteristics / hazards / power management
What this means for your checkride
Wind shear is a sudden, drastic change in wind speed and/or direction and can occur with frontal systems, thunderstorms, temperature inversions, and strong upper level winds. In a microburst, an aircraft may first meet a performance-increasing headwind, then performance-decreasing downdrafts and a tailwind. This rapid change can cause dangerous loss of airspeed and altitude near the ground.
Wind shear on takeoff or approach can exceed an aircraft's performance, so pilots must recognize the sources and the airspeed effects.
The initial headwind gain in a microburst is deceptive; it is quickly followed by a performance-decreasing shift that can be hazardous.
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.