AIM 3/15/07 12/31/20 8/15/19  7110.65R CHG 2 AIM FSS, ARTCC, or terminal ATC. One of the primary duties of the Inflight position is to serve as a collection point for the exchange of PIREPs with en route aircraft. up to a condition where individual drops are easily seen. 2. Moderate. Individual drops are not clearly identifiable; spray is observable just above pave- ments and other hard surfaces. d. If pilots are not able to make PIREPs by radio, reporting upon landing of the inflight conditions encountered to the nearest FSS or Weather Forecast Office will be helpful. Some of the uses made of the reports are: 3. Heavy. Rain seemingly falls in sheets; individual drops are not identifiable; heavy spray to height of several inches is observed over hard surfaces. 1. The ATCT uses the reports to expedite the flow of air traffic in the vicinity of the field and for hazardous weather avoidance procedures. 1. Light. Scattered pellets that do not com- pletely cover an exposed surface regardless of duration. Visibility is not affected. 2. The FSS uses the reports to brief other pilots, to provide inflight advisories, and weather avoidance information to en route aircraft. 3. The ARTCC uses the reports to expedite the flow of en route traffic, to determine most favorable altitudes, and to issue hazardous weather information within the center’s area. 2. Moderate. Slow accumulation on ground. Visibility reduced by ice pellets to less than 7 statute miles. 3. Heavy. Rapid accumulation on ground. Visibility reduced by ice pellets to less than 3 statute miles. 4. The NWS uses the reports to verify or amend conditions contained in aviation forecast and advisories. In some cases, pilot reports of hazardous conditions are the triggering mechanism for the issuance of advisories. They also use the reports for pilot weather briefings. b. Ice Pellets a. Light. Visibility more than $^{1}$/$_{2}$ statute mile. b. Moderate. Visibility from more than $^{1}$/$_{4}$ statute mile to $^{1}$/$_{2}$ statute mile. 5. The NWS, other government organizations, the military, and private industry groups use PIREPs for research activities in the study of meteorological phenomena. c. Heavy. Visibility $^{1}$/$_{4}$ statute mile or less. a. FAA air traffic facilities are required to solicit PIREPs when the following conditions are reported or forecast: ceilings at or below 5,000 feet; visibility at or below 5 miles (surface or aloft); thunderstorms and related phenomena; icing of light degree or greater; turbulence of moderate degree or greater; wind shear and reported or forecast volcanic ash clouds. 6. All air traffic facilities and the NWS forward the reports received from pilots into the weather distribution system to assure the information is made available to all pilots and other interested parties. e. The FAA, NWS, and other organizations that enter PIREPs into the weather reporting system use the format listed in TBL 7 − 1 − 6. Items 1 through 6 are included in all transmitted PIREPs along with one or more of items 7 through 13. Although the PIREP should be as complete and concise as possible, pilots should not be overly concerned with strict format or phraseology. The important thing is that the information is relayed so other pilots may benefit from your observation. If a portion of the report needs clarification, the ground station will request the information. Completed PIREPs will be transmitted to weather circuits as in the following examples: b. Pilots are urged to cooperate and promptly volunteer reports of these conditions and other atmospheric data such as: cloud bases, tops and layers; flight visibility; precipitation; visibility restrictions such as haze, smoke and dust; wind at altitude; and temperature aloft. c. PIREPs should be given to the ground facility with which communications are established; i.e., 7 − 1 − 17. Estimating Intensity of Snow or Drizzle (Based on Visibility) 7 − 1 − 18. Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs) 7 − 1 − 39 Meteorology