Explain how the map information will be used for estimating the flight duration time and fuel requirements for each leg of the flight.

Question Option 1
Suppose you are a commercial airline pilot planning for a round-trip flight between Los Angeles, California (on the US west) and New York City (on the US east coast) in the month of January at a planned cruising altitude of about 30,000 feet.

In the flight planning process, you check the Aviation Weather Center website’s wind and temperatures plot (Links to an external site.) and pull up a map for the forecast winds for the planned flight level, valid for the time frame of the round-trip flight.

Explain how the map information will be used for estimating the flight duration time and fuel requirements for each leg of the flight.
Identify (by name) the specific wind feature that would also be identified using the map information, and explain why determining the strength and position of this feature should be considered in determining the actual flight route and flight level for each leg of the flight.

Question Option 2

Suppose you are a pilot planning to fly your family of four in a single-engine aircraft to a destination for a week-long summer vacation. The flight is between two high-altitude airports in the US Rocky Mountains, and you are planning to make the flight during mid-afternoon in July.

In the flight planning process, the weather forecast valid for the planned day of the flight indicates a high probability of clear skies and light winds, with a morning low temperature near 50 F, and an afternoon high temperature near 90 F. You also performed a weight and balance calculation for a full load of fuel, four passengers, and the family’s luggage packed in the aft compartment of the aircraft, and determined that this would result in the aircraft being overloaded and significantly unbalanced.

Discuss at least two negative impacts to the stability and control of the aircraft that could result from the planned amount and configuration of weight, and describe at least two changes that could mitigate these impacts.
Explain why the planned time of day of the flight could also negatively impact the stability and control of the aircraft.