Definition
An AIRMET Tango is an in-flight weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service warning of moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds of 30 knots or greater, and/or non-convective low-level wind shear affecting an area of at least 3,000 square miles. It is one of three standard AIRMET types (Sierra, Tango, Zulu).
Plain English
A weather alert for pilots warning that an area has bumpy air, strong winds at the surface, or sudden wind changes near the ground that aren’t caused by thunderstorms.
Context Anchor
Seen in AIRMET weather advisories during preflight planning and in-flight weather updates.
Derivation
‘Tango’ is the ICAO phonetic alphabet word for the letter T. The T stands for Turbulence — the main hazard this AIRMET covers. Using the phonetic name keeps the advisory unambiguous over the radio.
Why Pilots Care
It alerts pilots to plan route or altitude changes to avoid discomfort, control issues, or structural stress.
Intuition Check
Tango does not mean the dance here. In this FAA weather context, Tango is the label for an AIRMET covering turbulence, strong surface winds, or low-level wind shear.
Example Sentence 1
The briefer mentioned an AIRMET Tango for moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet along our route, so we filed for a higher cruise altitude.
Example Sentence 2
We adjusted our departure time after seeing the AIRMET Tango for strong surface winds.