Ionizing radiation from solar activity can be a hazard to flight crews and passengers, and can also interfere with aircraft communications and navigation. These hazards are a concern for flights over polar regions since the use of these routes is increasing, with as many as 13,000 polar flights per year expected by 2010.

The Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) website provides easy access to information about aviation hazards such as turbulence and icing, but does not currently provide space weather information. This presentation describes the development of a prototype graphic product of total electron content (TEC) data. High TEC levels can result in black outs of long range communications. The TEC analysis and forecasts are produced by the Air Force Weather Agency using output from the Global Atmospheric Ionization Model (GAIM), developed by Utah State University. New ADDS displays include polar projection plots of current and forecast TEC and incorporation of the data into the ADDS interactive Flight Path Tool (FPT). The FPT display shows anticipated TEC levels in the ionosphere above user-specified flight routes, in conjunction with a variety of meteorological overlays.