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 from the perspective of airline dispatch office.