Customer Reviews

Aviation Weather (FAA Handbooks)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This volume is a terrific overview of weather for both pilots and non-pilots. It was obviously written by people who love weather and like explaining it.

The downside is that the printing is cheaply done and is, at times, difficult to read. This is a commercial reprint (done by ASA--Aviation Supplies and Academics) that really should have been done better. Unfortunately the PDF version on the FAA web site is an old photocopy which is simply awful. I downloaded but deleted it because it's almost impossible to read.

Many better products out there. Read the reviews. If you want a good, basic overview of weather and weather reports, look at "Rod Machado's Complete Private Pilot."

The FAA's weather products (including "Aviation Weather Services") are in need of major reformatting. That's unfortunate because their "Airplane Flying Handbook" and "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge" are superb. Both are available as PDFs on the FAA web site and are required reading for the private pilot certificate.

Published as an official FAA Advisory Circular, Aviation Weather (and the accompanying book AC 00-45 Aviation Weather Services) contains the info you will be required to know to pass the FAA private, commercial, and instrument rating written examinations. Aviation Weather is written in an easy-to-understand manner. It discusses the various cloud formations, formation of warm, cold, occluded, and stationary fronts, the life cycle of thunderstorms, winds (both surface and aloft), icing, and many other weather phenomena. Profusely illustrated with charts, graphs, photos, and diagrams. Understand this and you will know how to "fly the weather" competently. A classic book that all pilots should have in their library, with info that will never become outdated.

I was really looking forward to this book. But, entire figures are missing, the OCR presumably didn't work in some areas, and footnotes are cut off, not to mention being spaced in between paragraphs. I understand there must be some constraints when converting a book created for the analog world into a digital format, but for only two dollars less than the paperback, I feel completely ripped off. It is more work to try to figure out what this edition is trying to say than it is worth the money. Frankly, this is a safety issue to some degree as this book is about effectively reading weather for the purpose of aviation. Here's an example. If i really wanted to understand wind shear, i might be interested in the figure accompanying the text. The figure description is included, but the figure is missing. Maybe this is only an issue for the Kindle software, but if I could return this purchase, I would, because I simply won't finish this title in Kindle. Very sloppy conversion led to a complete let down.

The book is knowledgable and easy to understand , but the printing quality of the book is not upto the mark . If the print quality is good and attractive the reader will enjoy more. Thanks.

This book has been around for a long time and continues to be used in flight training. I enjoy the simplicity of the illustrations and explanations of weather. I believe this book will continue to be used for years to come.

I was excited to find this book available in a digital edition; however, what a total let down it was when I actually opened the book and found many important figures missing. There should be a disclosure statement regarding the fact that the digital edition is incomplete. I feel that I have been ripped off! This is bad business!! I wish there was a way to get my money back.

Great review of what the FAA wants you to know about weather and what you need to fly in weather or know it time to sit on the ground. Writing and editing would improve the value of the product.

For a govt written resource it is great and the price is right.

For less than 1/10 of the $100 burger it deserves a place on a pilot's bookshelf.

I had to buy this book for one of my classes and fell asleep many times while trying to read the assigned chapters. I have seen books that are much more interesting and do a better job explaining weather (Jeppesen: Aviation Weather).

Weather is extremely important to pilots and this book is the link. Learn how to identify weather trends and immediate weather conditions that are not friendly to the VFR pilot. Add that extra piece of mind to your flight planning and your time in the cockpit. This book is inexpensive but packed full of important information. I highly recommend this to any pilot from student on up the range of certificates.

Probably a good book 50 years ago; from the contents point of view it's a very standard book but the form is unacceptable. It looks like it has been printed 80 years ago. Most of the drawing and pictures are unreadable due to the extremely poor press quality. The cover page is very representative of the content. One of the ugliest book I ever seen in my Instructor and Pilot career. Save your money, there are a lot of much nicer books on the market.