A Framework for the Development of ATM-Weather Integration

Since 2010, and the presentation of the original ATM-Weather Integration Concept Diagram, there has been a marked increase in the level of understanding among the most affected stakeholders of ATM-Weather Integration. It is evident, however, that there are still several important weather integration issues which are less than clearly understood. As a wide range of stakeholders started talking about the concept in industry meetings and forums, began using the defined terminology, and demonstrated a solid grasp of the division of responsibilities when discussing Next Generation Air Transportation (NextGen) concepts involving weather and ATM decision-making, it remained equally clear that many core ATM-Weather Integration ideas were still not widely understood. The need for the possible expansion/clarification of the ATM-weather integration concept and diagram became evident during multiple discussions in which the notion of a centralized “weather translation product” was presumed without detail by some stakeholders while not even considered by others. We have attempted to address this problem by modifying the ATM-Weather Integration Concept diagram so that it is no longer viewed in isolation, but rather as an integral component of a system-level approach to solving weather-induced air traffic problems. In the same way that the original ATM-Weather Integration white paper and diagram helped clarify the underlying concepts, the intent of this newly expanded version of the ATM-Weather Integration diagram is to help simplify and resolve several of the remaining gaps in understanding.