Identification

Title

Data fusion enables better recognition of ceiling and visibility hazards in aviation

Abstract

Low cloud ceilings and poor visibility claim the lives of more general aviation (GA) pilots and passengers than any other cause of weather-related GA accidents. Experience shows that instrument-rated pilots as well as those rated only for visual flight are vulnerable to low ceiling and visibility (C&V), making total avoidance the most powerful strategy available to a GA pilot dealing with these hazards. The weather awareness needed for avoidance begins with the recognition of current conditions. This article outlines how fusion of surface, satellite, and terrain data yields a graphical analysis product that enables GA pilots, dispatchers, and weather briefers to better visualize the areal distribution of recent and current C&V conditions across the contiguous U.S. The product is available at www.aviationweather.gov/adds/cv and indicates ceilings less than 1,000 ft above ground level, visibilities less than 3 statute miles, and regions where terrain obscuration is possible. The product is also viewable in the context of interactive geographic information system data via the experimental Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Tool available at http://weather.aero/tools/desktopapps/hemstool. The authors summarize verification results and outline work toward a next-generation product that incorporates the use of model forecast data and weather camera imagery to improve information in data-sparse regions. This next-generation product is in development for initial use in Alaska.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7k64k75

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

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Temporal reference

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Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2015-04-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

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Use constraints

Copyright 2015 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be "fair use" under Section 107 or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 USC, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the Society's permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form on servers, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statements, requires written permission or license from the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policies, available from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or amspubs@ametsoc.org. Permission to place a copy of this work on this server has been provided by the AMS. The AMS does not guarantee that the copy provided here is an accurate copy of the published work.

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact