Weather Satellite Data in FAA OperationsRandy BassAviation Weather Research Program

Aviation Weather Division

NextGen Organization

Federal Aviation Administration 1 May 2015

Federal Aviation Administration

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• FAA Mission: Provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world• Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen): National Airspace

System (NAS) being implemented across the United States by the FAA• NextGen transforms America’s air traffic control system from a ground-

based system to a satellite-based system• Satellite-enabled technology is used to shorten routes, save time and fuel,

reduce traffic delays, increase capacity, and permit controllers to monitor and manage aircraft with greater safety margins

• A major component of NextGen is improved weather support• Stovepiped systems consolidated into a single national weather

information system, updated in real time• Common weather picture across the NAS to enable better air

transportation decision making

Timely, accurate weather information is critical in operational decision-making for pilots, controllers, flight operators, and airport operators

Aviation Weather Division

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• The FAA’s Aviation Weather Division (AWD) supports weather-dependent Operational Improvements and Operational Sustainment integration in the NAS by leading shortfall analyses, concept and requirement definition, enterprise system engineering, and solution prototyping and evaluation• Aligns and manages the weather research portfolio toward new

concepts/capabilities that reduce the impact of weather in the NAS• Represents U.S. MET Authority on International

coordination/harmonization activity• Assures development and integration of productive weather information

into Air Traffic Management (ATM) decisions by pilots, controllers, flight operators, and airport operators through orchestration of:• Better quality weather information• Better access to weather information• Better utilization of weather information

Aviation Weather Research Program

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• The Aviation Weather Research Program, as part of AWD, conducts research to assure development and integration of weather information into ATM decisions to support NextGen initiatives• Applied research to minimize the impact of weather on the NAS• Specific initiatives to support NextGen weather Operational

Improvements contained in the NextGen Implementation Plans • Collaborative, complimentary initiatives with NWS to

transition legacy capabilities to meet NextGen and evolving requirements

• Focused initiatives to help mitigate safety and/or efficiency issues associated with well documented weather problems

Delays Due to Weather

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Airline delays in the National Airspace System (NAS) due to weather have steadily decreased over the last 5 years but still constitute the majority of all delays. Over 192,000 weather delays occurred last year.

SOURCE: Federal Aviation Administration OPSNET

2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

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40

50

60

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% of Total NAS Delayed Operations

NOAA satellites provide advanced weather information to enable collaborative planning and efficient utilization

of airspace routes through the entire flight

Cloud Classification,Lightning,

Convective Initiation,Cloud & Moisture

Imagery,Low Ceiling & Visibility

(Aerosols, clouds, dust),

Overshooting Tops,Precipitation,

Snow

Cloud Classification, Jet Stream,

Volcanic Ash, Turbulence,

Icing, Winds,

Convective Initiation,Mountain Waves,Cloud & Moisture

Imagery,Cloud Top Information

Cloud Classification,Lightning,

Convective Initiation,

Low Ceiling & Visibility,

Overshooting Tops, Icing,

Precipitation,Snow

Nowcasting,Convective Initiation,

Hazards, Numerical Weather

Prediction Forecasts (winds, precipitation,

clouds, pressure, etc.)

Thunderstorms and Convection

Ceiling and Visibility

Instrument Flight Rules

(IFR) probabilities

over Chicago O’Hare

detected by satellite

Icing

GOES data provides improved resolution of icing conditions

Pilot Reports light moderate+ none

Aviation Weather Center Advisories

Icing conditions not always captured with traditional methods

Volcanic Support

Ash Detection product (left) and Ash Loading (right) using the GOES-R Volcanic Ash Algorithm applied to Meteosat-9/SEVIRI data1 (From Mike Pavolonis, NESDIS/STAR, and Justin Sieglaff, CIMSS)

2010 Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption

Satellite imagery is the primary source for detection of volcanic eruptions and tracking of ash plumes around the world.

Alaska

Cloud cover or fog and observed visibilities for Alaska using satellite imagery – experimental product Polar satellite (POES) image valid at 15:17 local time on

Saturday, 4 Apr 2015

Offshore Precipitation Capability

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10-14-2014 UTC

A prototype in development by the FAA that merges satellite imagery from GOES, lightning data, and NWP model data to create an estimate of precipitation offshore in a real-time capacity, which is merged seamlessly with NEXRAD data.

Hurricane Gonzalo

Aviation Weather Challenges

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• Tactical versus strategic applications• Towers, Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities, Air Route Traffic

Control Centers, the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, and airlines all have different weather needs at different timelines

• One size does not fit all• Bandwidth issues

• Amount of data possible from GOES-R, new numerical weather prediction models and other sources may overwhelm current communication circuits

• Weather Uncertainty• How to integrate uncertainty inherent in weather into decision support

tools for operations; probabilistic versus deterministic outputs• Weather solution independent: any new technology acquired by the FAA

should be able to utilize data output from any provider, especially NWS, to include satellite data