The Aviation Weather Testbed: Science and Technology Infusion for Aviation Operations

The Aviation Weather Testbed (AWT), located at the NOAA Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, MO is charged with creating an opportunistic environment for the transfer of new and innovative aviation weather forecast technology into real-time operations for safe and efficient flight, and to support the strategic implementation of the FAA's NextGen requirements for aviation weather. Joining in partnership with government, academic, and private sector partners and stakeholders, the AWT is a formalized conduit for the effective transfer of research and technology projects to operations, through the development of rigorous testing and evaluation processes. Completed in November of 2009, the AWT room contains state-of-the-art computer workstations that mimic an operational forecast environment, teleconferencing technology, and large video screens that are designed to facilitate interactions between several groups. During the approximately first year of operation, the AWT has already participated and supported many projects, with several more in the developmental and planning stages. This paper will describe the early successes of the AWT along with ongoing projects, such as the implementation of the G-AIRMET, testing of new software such as AWIPS-2 and IC4D, integration of ensemble forecast model information for forecast operations and air-traffic management, support of next-generation probabilistic forecasts during the 2010 Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Experiment, and participation in the research-to-operations planning process between the National Weather Service and the FAA.