Aviation Weather Services

Aviation Weather Services

A Call For Federal Leadership and Action

  • Publisher: National Academies Press
  • ISBN: 9780309053808
  • eISBN Pdf: 9780309596596
  • eISBN Epub: 9780309176033
  • Place of publication:  United States
  • Year of digital publication: 1995
  • Month: November
  • Pages: 120
  • Language: English

Each time we see grim pictures of aircraft wreckage on a rain-drenched crash site, or scenes of tired holiday travelers stranded in snow-covered airports, we are reminded of the harsh impact that weather can have on the flying public. This book examines issues that affect the provision of national aviation weather services and related research and technology development efforts. It also discusses fragmentation of responsibilities and resources, which leads to a less-than-optimal use of available weather information and examines alternatives for responding to this situation. In particular, it develops an approach whereby the federal government could provide stronger leadership to improve cooperation and coordination among aviation weather providers and users.

  • Aviation Weather Services
  • Copyright
  • Preface
  • Contents
  • Acronyms
  • Summary
    • LEADERSHIP
    • SEPARATION OF AIRCRAFT FROM HAZARDOUS WEATHER
    • USER NEEDS
    • NWS ROLES AND MISSIONS
    • TRAINING
    • DISSEMINATION OF GRAPHIC WEATHER PRODUCTS
    • RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
    • REGIONAL REQUIREMENTS
    • THE FIRST STEP
    • REFERENCES
    • USAIR FLIGHT 1016—A SUMMARY OF THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD'S FINAL REPORT
  • 1 Introduction
    • SAFETY IMPERATIVES
    • ECONOMIC IMPERATIVES
    • ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT
    • REFERENCES
  • 2 Current Roles and Missions
    • LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS
    • IMPLEMENTATION BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
      • OMB Circular A-62
      • FAA/NOAA Memorandum of Agreement
        • Defining Aviation Weather Requirements
        • Interactions Between the FAA and the NWS
      • Effectiveness of Implementing Documents
    • FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS
    • ESTABLISHING AN AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES CORPORATION
    • REFERENCES
  • 3 Current Services
    • AVIATION WEATHER SERVICES
      • Observation
        • Number and Location of Weather Observing Sites
        • Pilot Reports and Automated Aircraft Weather Observations
        • Automation of Surface Observations
      • Analysis
      • Forecasting
        • Use of Forecasts Prepared by Private Weather Services
        • Short-Term Forecasts/Nowcasts
        • Geographic Resolution of Weather Forecasts
        • Feedback from Users to Aviation Weather Forecasters
      • Dissemination
        • Federal Efforts to Reduce Dissemination Costs
        • Form and Content of Weather Products
        • Dissemination to Blots En Route
        • Role of Air Traffic Controllers
        • Effectiveness of Center Weather Service Units
        • Dissemination to Airport Operators
    • TRAINING
      • Pilots
      • Dispatchers
      • Air Traffic Controllers and Flight Service Specialists
      • Aviation Meteorologists
      • Training Improvements
    • UNMET USER NEEDS
    • REFERENCES
  • 4 Research And Development
    • FEDERAL PLANNING
      • Research Organizations
      • Planning Documents
      • Planning and Coordination
        • Multiagency Planning and Coordination
        • Bilateral Planning and Coordination: FAA and NOAA
        • Bilateral Planning and Coordination: FAA and NASA
        • Planning and Coordination Within the FAA
    • LONGER-TERM RESEARCH PRIORITIES
    • STRENGTHENING THE RESEARCH PROGRAM
      • Priorities
      • Funding
      • Leadership
      • Process
    • REFERENCES
  • 5 Regional Requirements
    • REGIONAL VARIABILITY IN AVIATION SAFETY
    • THE ALASKAN EXAMPLE 1980 AND 1995
    • IMPROVING REGIONAL SERVICES
    • REFERENCES
  • 6 Future Roles and Missions
    • FUTURE ALTERNATIVES
      • Assessing the Alternatives
    • ROLES AND MISSIONS
      • FAA
        • Leadership
        • Separating Aircraft From Hazardous Weather
      • NOAA/NWS
      • Private Sector
      • DoD
      • NASA
      • OFCM
      • State Governments
    • REFERENCES
  • 7 The First Step
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix A Summary of Findings and Recommendations
    • CHAPTER 2 CURRENT ROLES AND MISSIONS
    • CHAPTER 3 CURRENT SERVICES
    • CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
    • CHAPTER 5 REGIONAL REQUIREMENTS
    • CHAPTER 6 FUTURE ROLES AND MISSIONS
    • CHAPTER 7 THE FIRST STEP
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix B Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
  • Appendix C Participants in Committee Meetings
  • Appendix D Reference Documents for Current Roles and Missions
    • ORGANIC ACT OF 1890
    • WEATHER SERVICES MODERNIZATION ACT
    • FEDERAL AVIATION ACT OF 1958, AS AMENDED
    • NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ACT OF 1958, AS AMENDED
    • DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 1963
    • OMB CIRCULAR A-62
    • FAA/NOAA MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix E ASOS Assessment
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix F General Aviation Flight Scenarios—1994 and 2015
    • SCENARIO ONE: 1994
    • SCENARIO TWO: 2015
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix G Federal Funding
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix H Research Documents and Organizations
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix I Detailed Assessment of User Needs in Alaska
    • FACTORS THAT DEFINE REGIONAL VARIABILITY
      • Geography and Weather Patterns
      • Transportation Systems
      • Other Elements of the Regional Infrastructure
      • Cultural Differences
      • Economic Factors
      • Regulatory Factors
      • FAA and NWS Organization and Operations
    • IMPACT OF REGIONAL VARIABILITY ON THE LEVEL OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION
    • OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING REGIONAL SERVICES
      • Weather Observations
      • Dissemination
    • REFERENCES
  • Appendix J Alternative Approaches for Improving Aviation Weather Services and Research
    • REFERENCES

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