CAT: Clear Air Turbulence

Clear-air turbulence (CAT) is the turbulent movement of air masses in the absence of any visual clues, such as clouds, and is caused when bodies of air moving at widely different speeds meet.[1]

The atmospheric region most susceptible to CAT is the high troposphere at altitudes of around 7,000–12,000 metres (23,000–39,000 ft) as it meets the tropopause. Here CAT is most frequently encountered in the regions of jet streams. At lower altitudes it may also occur near mountain ranges. Thin cirrus clouds can also indicate high probability of CAT.

Flight Planning and Monitoring for Pilots: Model Test Papers

Flight planning is the process of producing a flight plan to describe a proposed aircraft flight. It involves two safety-critical aspects: fuel calculation, to ensure that the aircraft can safely reach the destination, and compliance with air traffic control requirements, to minimise the risk of midair collision. In addition, flight planners normally wish to minimise flight cost through the appropriate choice of route, height, and speed, and by loading the minimum necessary fuel on board.

LONG DURATION MISSION: FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

The flight endurance record though no longer recognized used to be the longest amount of time an aircraft of a particular category spent in flight without landing. It can be a solo event, or multiple people can take turns piloting the aircraft, as long as all pilots remained in the aircraft. The limit initially was the amount of fuel that could be stored for the flight, but aerial refuelling extended that parameter. Flying modern fighter aircraft requires a high degree of physical and mental fitness to withstand the stresses that are placed on the…