Lesson 1 gave you the shape of the test and the one habit that matters most: when you don't understand or a word won't come, check, paraphrase, and keep going — never freeze. Lesson 2 goes deeper: forecasts, the language of the radio, and more of the unexpected situations that decide your level.
Still graded on the same six things
Pronunciation Clear enough that a stranger never has to guess.
Structure Right tenses for what happened, what is happening, what will happen.
Vocabulary The words for the job — and a way round the ones you don't have.
Fluency A natural pace, no long frightened pauses.
Comprehension Understanding unfamiliar voices and accents.
Interactions Answering, checking and clarifying quickly — not going silent.
One idea to carry through the whole lesson: a forecast, a readback and an emergency all use different words, but the same rule wins every time — say what you see, clearly and in order, and keep talking.
Warm up — say it out loud (60 seconds)
Describe the weather where you are right now, as if briefing a colleague: the wind, the visibility, the cloud, and whether it is getting better or worse. Don't stop to correct yourself.
01:00
METAR & TAF — the report and the forecast
You already read the METAR — the weather now. Its partner is the TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) — the weather to come, usually for the next 24 to 30 hours. A pilot plans with the TAF and lands on the METAR.
The four words that run a TAF: FM (from) — a quick, lasting change from a stated time. BECMG (becoming) — a gradual change over a period. TEMPO (temporary) — short-lived changes, each lasting under an hour. PROB30 / PROB40 — a 30% or 40% chance of the condition.
Roughly: “Heathrow forecast, issued at eleven hundred on the twelfth, valid from midday on the twelfth to eighteen hundred on the thirteenth. Wind two-two-zero degrees, one-zero knots; visibility ten kilometres or more; scattered cloud at three thousand five hundred feet. Becoming, between fourteen and sixteen hundred, wind two-four-zero degrees, one-five knots, gusting two-five. Temporarily, between sixteen and twenty hundred, visibility six thousand metres in rain showers. Thirty per cent probability, between eighteen and twenty hundred, of visibility three thousand metres in a thunderstorm with rain.”
In a TAF, what does TEMPO tell the pilot?
The key difference between a METAR and a TAF is:
Brief it in plain English (60 seconds)
Read this shorter forecast aloud, then brief a pilot on what to expect and when — mind your future forms (will become, is expected to, there is a chance of).
Roughly: “Wind two-zero-zero degrees, one-two knots; visibility good; broken cloud at two thousand feet. Becoming, late evening, wind lighter from two-four-zero at six knots, visibility dropping to three thousand metres in mist, cloud broken at four hundred feet. Forty per cent probability, in the early hours, of visibility down to four hundred metres in fog.” So: a calm, misty night with a real chance of thick fog before dawn.
More words of your world
The vocabulary that separates a Level 4 from a Level 5 — precise words for the conditions that actually threaten aircraft. Tap each card to check yourself.
mistReduced visibility, but still 1 km or more (code BR).
fogThick — visibility below 1 km (code FG). Freezing fog is worse still.
hazeFine dust or smoke reducing visibility (code HZ) — dry, not wet.
turbulenceRough, bumpy air that shakes the aircraft.
icingIce forming on the aircraft — it adds weight and spoils the wings.
a squallA sudden, sharp increase in wind for a short time.
a microburstA violent, localised downward blast of air — extremely dangerous near the ground.
towering cumulus (TCU)A tall, growing cloud — a thunderstorm in the making.
embeddedHidden inside other cloud — “embedded cumulonimbus” the pilot can't see coming.
a downpourA sudden burst of very heavy rain.
to set inTo arrive and stay: “the fog has set in.”
to lift / to clearWeather getting better: “the fog is starting to lift.”
Visibility falls to six hundred metres in a grey, wet murk. Is that mist or fog?
Use five of them (60 seconds)
Pick any five cards and use each in a full sentence about a shift you might work — real weather, spoken as if to the tower.
01:00
On the radio — standard words
Radio English uses a small set of fixed words so that nothing is misheard. Using them correctly is exactly the kind of clear, confident interaction the examiner rewards. Tap to check yourself.
RogerI have received all of your last message. (Not “yes”.)
WilcoI understand and will comply.
AffirmYes.
NegativeNo / that is not correct / not permitted.
StandbyWait and I will call you.
Say againRepeat all, or part, of your message.
Read backRepeat this message back to me exactly.
ConfirmIs this correct? / I request confirmation of…
CorrectionI made an error; the correct version is…
How do you read?How clear is my transmission? (Answer 1–5.)
You give the wind, then realise you said the wrong number. How do you fix it on the radio?
Read-back drill (45 seconds)
Read each line aloud the correct way, then give a proper read-back — digit by digit, ending with a clear confirmation:
For example: “Runway two-seven, QNH one-zero-zero-niner. Visibility eight hundred metres, RVR six hundred. Wind three-one-zero degrees, two-five knots, gusting four-zero. Read back correct.” Slow, digit by digit, no grouping.
The unexpected — more Part 2
The heart of the test, again, with harder situations. Remember the three moves: describe clearly, advise, and clarify if you're unsure — and never go silent.
Situation 1 — the pressure is falling
Over the last hour the pressure has fallen sharply and the wind has begun to back and strengthen — a cold front is approaching fast. Brief the tower on what is happening and what to expect. One minute.
01:00
Something like: “Tower, be advised the pressure is falling rapidly and the wind is backing and strengthening — a cold front is approaching from the west. Expect it to arrive within the hour, bringing a sharp wind shift, heavy rain, possible thunderstorms and a risk of wind shear. I'd recommend warning inbound traffic and standing by for a rapid change. I'll issue an updated report shortly.”
Situation 2 — it's freezing
The temperature has dropped below zero, freezing fog is forming and the runway is starting to ice over. Report the conditions and their danger to the tower.
01:00
Something like: “Tower, temperature is now minus two and falling. Freezing fog is forming, so visibility is dropping and ice is building on the runway and on parked aircraft. Braking action is likely to be poor, and aircraft will need de-icing before departure. I'd recommend a runway inspection and a check of the braking action as soon as possible.”
Situation 3 — a pilot reports wind shear
An aircraft on final approach reports “a sudden loss of airspeed at three hundred feet — possible wind shear.” Confirm you understood, and pass a warning to the other inbound traffic.
00:45
Something like: “Roger, wind shear reported on final at three hundred feet, sudden loss of airspeed. All stations, be advised: wind shear reported on the approach to runway two-seven. Exercise caution and be prepared to go around.” (Confirm what you heard, then warn everyone clearly.)
Situation 4 — the sensor fails
Your automatic weather sensor has failed and is giving no readings. You must switch to a manual observation. Tell the tower what has happened and give them a manual report of the current conditions.
01:00
Something like: “Tower, be advised the automatic weather station has failed — I am now providing manual observations. Estimating the wind at two-two-zero degrees, one-five knots; visibility approximately six kilometres; cloud broken at one thousand five hundred feet; temperature one-two. I'll update you every few minutes until the system is back.” (Say clearly that the readings are manual and estimated.)
A pilot's message is broken and you catch only half of it. Best response?
Talk & discuss — Parts 1 and 3
Full, flowing answers again: what → why → an example for the interview, and general → detail → what it means for the picture.
Part 1 — your experience
1. How did you become a weather observer? What did the training involve?
01:30
2. What do you enjoy most about the job — and what is the hardest part?
01:30
3. How has technology changed the work of a weather observer over the years?
Reach for these: “I got into this work by…” · “The training covered…” · “What I find most rewarding is…” · “The trickiest part is when…” · “These days, a lot of it is automated, but…”
Part 3 — describe the picture
Describe this picture (about 90 seconds)
Start wide (“This is an airfield early in the morning, in thick fog…”), then the detail (the faint runway, the limp windsock, the dim sun, the low visibility), then what it means for flying.
01:30
Useful words: thick fog / very low visibility / the runway disappears into the murk / the windsock is hanging limp, so the wind is light / a pale sun trying to break through / conditions below landing minimums / flights likely to be delayed or diverted.
Then discuss (2 minutes)
Choose one and speak for two minutes:
Should an airport close automatically in bad weather, or should a human always make the final decision? Why?
Is aviation weather becoming more extreme? What changes have you noticed yourself?
Some people say pilots and controllers rely too much on automation. Do you agree?
02:00
Mock test 2 — the three parts, back to back
Run it for real: no notes, no stopping. Start each timer and speak until it ends.
Part 1 · Interview
“Tell me about a time the weather changed very quickly during one of your shifts. What did you do?”
01:30
Part 2 · Non-routine
“Freezing fog is forming fast and the runway visual range is dropping below the minimum. Describe the situation to the tower and say what they should expect.”
01:00
Something like: “Tower, be advised freezing fog is forming rapidly. The RVR has fallen to five hundred metres and is still dropping, now below the landing minimum. Ice is beginning to form on surfaces. Expect arrivals to hold or divert and departures to need de-icing. I'd recommend a runway inspection. I'll issue special reports every few minutes.”
Part 3 · Discuss
“How important is the human weather observer, now that so much of the observation is automatic?”
02:00
Before you finish — be honest with yourself
I said every number digit by digit, with clear stress.
I used the standard radio words correctly (“Correction”, “Say again”, “Read back”).
I described the change over time with the right tenses (falling, becoming, will drop).
When I lost a word, I explained it another way instead of stopping.
I finished my consonants cleanly — no extra vowel on the end.
Any box you couldn't tick is your target for next time — and it's exactly what the examiner is listening for.