Evolving NWS Aviation Weather Services at Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center: Impact-Based Decision Support Services to Support the New FAA District Concept and Future Considerations

The FAA District concept will realign support and share resources to underlying facilities. This includes an expansion of traffic management services provided by the Traffic Management Unit. The Traffic Management Officer (TMO) and Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) Meteorologist-In-Charge (MIC) are collaborators for weather impacts to the National Airspace System (NAS), so with an increase in traffic management services comes an increasing need for aviation weather services and situational awareness to airport towers and Terminal Radar Approach Control Centers (TRACONs) in addition to the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC).

To better understand weather and traffic management needs for underlying towers and TRACONs, the NWS and FAA did joint visits to assess services and develop enhancements. A joint venture to develop a self-briefing web portal tailored to each facility was created to increase weather situational awareness. As the district concept moves forward, there will be an increasing need for additional aviation weather hazard information such as briefings and forecast information for underlying facilities. This will branch out to additional weather support for underlying towers and TRACONs. CWSU staffing has not been analyzed since implementation 40 years ago. Aviation services have changed significantly over the last 10 to 15 years, and aviation services as a whole have not been addressed. To advance aviation Impact-Based Decision Support Service (IDSS), a collaborative FAA and NWS assessment of services and staffing is vital.