About the AWDL

The Aviation Weather Development Laboratory (AWDL) was established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support weather projects in the evolving U.S. National Airspace System. Vast amounts of data from new weather sensing systems such as Next Generation Weather Radars (NEXRAD), Temminal Doppler Weather Radars, wind profilers, automatic surface weather observing stations (ASOS/ AWOS), and in-flight measurements from equipped aircraft will overwhelm the aviation weather system unless these data can be processed into useful information for aviation system users. The AWDL was created as a long-term research, development, and demonstration laboratory for the creation and evaluation of products that will enhance the safety, efficiency, and capacity of the aviation system. AWDL components are science, engineering, user interface, validation, and demonstration. As advanced weather products are validated, they are field tested at FAA facilities (air traffic control towers, terminal radar approach control, air route traffic control centers, flight service stations, Central Flow Control) and at airline operations facilities. This rapid prototyping capability allows users to gain experience with new products, test them in a real working environment, and provide the AWDL with input for product refinement. These users, who include pilots, controllers, traffic managers, supervisors, and airline and airport operators, are involved with product development from concept definition through final implementation. The AWDL's operations center is located within the Research Applications Program of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR/RAP) in Boulder,Colorado.

Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) and
Low-Level Wind Shear Alert System

The AWDL conducts an operational demonstration of the FAA-sponsored TDWR and LLWAS programs that were established to address the problem of dangerous wind shear in the terminal area. NCAR/RAP improved the original LLWAS by identifying wind sensor sensing deficiencies and by developing a microburst detection algorithm, advanced algorithms for improved performance, and alphanumeric and graphical product concepts for the alert functions. New capabilities of the enhanced LLWAS include identification of wind shear type (general wind shear, microburst, or gust front), strength of shear in headwind loss or gain, and location of wind shear events along approach or departure paths. Controllers provide pilots wHh runway-specific wind shear information in a simple format.

The TDWR system detects microbursts, gust fronts and wind shift lines, and precipitation. TDWR data are used in the AWDL to develop terminal weather prediction products such as storm motion, tornado, microburst, and storm initiation. Due to its area of coverage (50 nm), TDWR provides substantial traffic planning benefits as well as safety benefits. The TDWR system includes a geographical situation display that depicts the weather products in a simple graphical format for traffic managers and supervisors. The wind shear alarm format is designed to match the LLWAS format for complete system integration. The FAA will begin deployment of the TDWR system nationwide beginning in 1992.

Click here for a graphic of the TDWR system.

Aviation Weather Products Generator

Data from current and planned atmospheric observing platforms will be processed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration into a high-resolution, four- dimensional grid of aviation-impact variables (icing, turbulence, ceiling, etc.) and state-of-the-atmosphere variables (wind, humidity, temperature, pressure) . The atmosphere will be defined in finer and more accurate detail than has ever been available. The Aviation Weather Products Generator will ingest this database and create aviation weather products tailored for aviation system users (typically non-meteorologists). Users will graphically view weather at specific altitudes and along selected routes of flight. Products currently under development include Icing Severity Index, Turbulence Index, Ceiling and Visibility, Jet Stream, Storm Cell Location, Wind Shear, Terminal Weather Depiction, and Weather ImpactedAirspace.

Research during scientific field experiments and subsequent data analysis provide the basis for the products. For example, the FM Icing Program, led by NCAR/RAP, has the objective of improving the detection and prediction of airborne and ground-based icing. A concentrated scientific research program called the Winter Icing and Storms Project conducted field experiments in 1990 and 1991 along Colorado's Front Range to learn more about the creation and depletion of supercooled water, the variable that causes aircraft icing. The AWDL is demonstrating a prototyped high- resolution icing product, and new techniques and guidance are being tested at the National Aviation Weather Advisory Unit to aid in producing icing SIGMETS. This three-dimensional analysis and forecast product will indicate the icing hazard independent of aircraft type, reflecting the meteorological conditions only.

Click here for a graphic
of the NOAA/FSL 4d gridded database.

Click here for a graphic
of the NCAR scientists in the AWDL.

Advanced Regional- and National Scale
Weather Display Systems

NCAR/RAP has developed a prototype Air Route Traffic Control Center-domain advanced weather display system that ingests the four-dimensional gridded database and produces high-resolution aviation products for aviation users outside of the terminal area, particularly for Flight Service Specialists and Traffic Managers. This regional display enables users to look at weather in plan view at selected flight levels and along flight paths in vertical cross sections. Using simple "mouse" input, users can easily zoom and pan and select flight routes, flight altitudes, and products. A national-scale prototype system with similar functions will also be developed to assess the needs of users who are concerned with national-scale weather such as the Central Flow Control Facility. The regional and national display system will help the FAA develop new weather products using a rapid prototype process that will shorten the time between product conception to final implementation. Prototype advanced aviation weather products, advanced weather information display concepts, and user/display product interfaces will be tested in the AWDL.

Click here for a graphic
of the AWPG system.

Three Dimensional Terminal Viewer

Click here for more information on the
three dimensional terminal viewer.