Impact based Decision Support Advisory for use in the National Air Space: Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement

The Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement is issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) Aviation Weather Center (AWC) in Kansas City, MO in collaboration with meteorologists at NWS Center Weather Service Units, NWS Weather Forecast Offices, airline meteorologists, and AWC's National Aviation Meteorologists in Warrenton, VA as an operational demonstration through October 31, 2015. This graphical and text product describing the evolution of thunderstorms that may have a significant impact to air traffic flow across the National Air Space within a two to six hour time frame. Historically convection causes the highest number of constraints on the National Air Space. This operational demonstration provides a better understanding of how Air Traffic Managers (ATM) at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control System Command Center can more effectively begin, change, or end a national Traffic Flow Management Initiative using this impact based advisory. This product is discussed during the FAA's planning teleconferences held every two hours for air traffic management units across the country. The FAA and the airlines use the Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement to make traffic flow management decisions. In this respect the Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement promotes the commerce of the United States through the efficient and effective management of National Air Space.

The Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement is the first user designed aviation product combining graphics and text. The FAA is conducting an independent human factors assessment of the process to determine the effectiveness of the statements issued.

Collaborative Aviation Weather Statements may be issued for the following criteria: Thunderstorms affect an area of concern and is considered (a) expected or greater than 80% probability of occurring, or (b) probable or 60% to 80% probability of occurring; thunderstorms are expected or probable at one of the Core 29 Airports; thunderstorms are developing, increasing, or diminishing in an area of concern; or thunderstorms are affecting special events.

This presentation will include an overview of the Collaborative Aviation Weather Statement production along with examples of events from the recent demonstration.