What information is provided by PIREPs?

PIREPs, or Pilot Reports, provide essential information about actual in-flight conditions experienced by pilots during their flight. This includes data on weather phenomena like turbulence, icing, cloud layers, visibility, wind direction and speed, and any other significant atmospheric observations. Since PIREPs are based on pilots' real-time experiences, they play a crucial role in giving other pilots and air traffic controllers accurate, current information that may not be reflected in standard forecasts or meteorological reports.

The value of PIREPs is particularly pronounced because they can highlight conditions that may not be well captured by weather radar or forecasts, making them a vital resource for situational awareness and decision-making in aviation. This real-world feedback can help influence other pilots' flight planning and route adjustments to enhance safety.

In contrast, the other choices focus on static or forecasted information that does not reflect the dynamic nature of in-flight weather conditions as directly as PIREPs do. Meteorological forecasts are predictions that may not account for short-term changes, radar summaries focus on ground-based observations of weather, and critical advisory updates typically relay information on severe weather rather than in-flight conditions experienced by pilots.