weather products for evaluation by the various members of the Canadian Air Navigation
System (ANS). The first product, called 'TAFPlus', is an enhanced version of the
regulatory 'TAF' (aerodrome forecast). TAFPlus adds a site-specific forecaster discussion
as well as a simplified NWP-based meteogram. TAFPlus has been issued regularly for
Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montréal and Yellowknife since February 01, 2007. NAV
CANADA, the Canadian civil air navigation services provider, is currently evaluating the
potential of this web-distributed product. The goal of TAFPlus is to provide enhanced
aviation weather information to ANS users to enable more effective decision making than
that possible by using the TAF alone. The second product, which is currently in beta
testing, is called 'V-CMAC' (Virtual CMAC). The V-CMAC software is a hybrid of an
integrated weather display and a contextual multi-user communication mechanism.
Various users, such as major airline dispatchers, NAV CANADA Air Traffic Control and
Flight Information Centres, are able to view real-time weather information (satellite
imagery, surface observations, aerodrome forecasts, aviation warnings) on an integrated
platform; they are also able to conduct conversations (“one on one” or “one to many”)
with other Canadian ANS on-line users of this system. V-CMAC provides a virtual
environment intended to help counter the physical barriers which separate the various
users of the ANS. The goal of V-CMAC is to provide the ANS users with enhanced
communication and common situational awareness. Both products will be demonstrated and discussed.
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