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What cloud type is most easily detected by airborne weather radar?
  • A
    Cumulonimbus
  • B
    Cirrocumulus
  • C
    Altostratus
  • D
    Stratus

Refer to figure.

AIRBORNE WEATHER RADAR

Airborne weather radar is designed for avoiding severe weather, not for penetrating it. It detects drops of precipitation (such as rain/snow/hail). Therefore, do not try to use it to avoid instrument weather associated with clouds and fog – it does not provide any assurance of avoiding IFR weather conditions.

Weather detection is based on the reflectivity of water droplets. The weather echo appears on the Navigation Display (ND) with a color scale that goes from red (high reflectivity) to green (low reflectivity).

The weather radar echo returns vary in intensity as a function of the droplet size, composition and quantity. For example, a water particle is five times more reflective than an ice particle of the same size. Good returns are ensured on heavy rain-bearing clouds (cumulus type). However, poor responses are expected from light rain/fog (such as stratus type).

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