Weather is the #1 reason pilots fail their checkride. Here are 5 questions you need to be ready for when you meet with your examiner.

And if you're getting ready for your checkride, get prepped for any weather question your examiner can throw at you with our Aviation Weather Products course.

1) How long is this TAF valid?

Most TAFs are valid for 24 hours, but at some larger airports, TAFs can be good for up to 30 hours. Remember to check the start/end times (highlighted in orange) to know how long your TAF is good for.

2) Why does this PIREP start with 'UUA', as opposed to the normal 'UA'?

Urgent pilot reports start with 'UUA'. In this case, the PIREP is urgent because of low-level wind shear.

3) How long is this Convective SIGMET valid?

It says it right on the Convective SIGMET, you just need to know where to look. This one is valid until 0000Z. And remember, Convective SIGMETs are issued every hour, regardless of the weather.

4) Why is there a "$" at the end of this METAR?

The '$' means the weather station needs maintenance. Just remember it costs money to fix things, and you've got this one down.

5) What does it mean when the winds aloft are '9900'?

990 degrees isn't a valid wind direction, so that can't be it. When you see '9900', it means the winds at that altitude are light and variable.

Getting ready for your checkride? Trying to brush up for a flight review, or just feeling a little rusty about weather?

Get up-to-speed quickly with our Aviation Weather Products course.