Pilot report
A pilot report or PIREP is a report of actual weather conditions encountered by an aircraft in flight. This information is usually relayed by radio to the nearest ground station, but other options (e.g. electronic submission) also exist in some regions. The message would then be encoded and relayed to other weather offices and air traffic service units.
Although the actual form used to record the PIREP may differ from one country to another, the standards and criteria will remain almost the same. At a minimum the PIREP must contain a header, aircraft location, time, flight level, aircraft type and one other field.
In recent years, a PIREP will also include UA or UUA used to identify the PIREP as routine or urgent.
Included data
Mandatory
UA or UUA used to identify the PIREP as routine or urgent (Note: in Canada this is indicated by the prefix to the PIREP: "UACN01" for an urgent PIREP or "UACN10" for a normal PIREP)
/OV location of the PIREP, in relation to a NAVAID, an aerodrome or geographical coordinates