Development of the Canadian aircraft meteorological data relay (AMDAR) program and plans for the future

The Canadian AMDAR Program is a cornerstone of the modernization of the Canadian Upper Air Program. The development of AMDAR by the Canadian AMDAR Program Implementation Team (CAPIT) has not been typical as Canada started developing its program from regional air carriers, meaning no simple solutions existed as these carriers usually operate older aircraft using less sophisticated sensors, avionics and datalink systems when such systems are available. CAPIT membership includes Environment Canada, the Canadian air carriers, NAV CANADA, the Coordinator of the US MDCRS Program, and the Technical Coordinator of the WMO AMDAR Panel.

Canada now has an operational AMDAR Program with a growing fleet to 64 DHC-8 and over 70 CRJ aircraft from Jazz Air expected to report valid temperature and wind data across Canada (mostly south of 55N) by 31 March 2006. Data from Jazz Air began distribution on GTS and internal Environment Canada circuits on 4 January 2005. The Canadian AMDAR messages are distributed by the Canadian Meteorological Centre as BUFR FM94 bulletins. Real-time horizontal and vertical skew-T and tephigram representations of the Canadian AMDAR data have been available from the NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory automated aircraft data web site (http://acweb.fsl.noaa.gov/java/) since 12 January 2005. In parallel, proof-of-concept AMDAR alternative systems for First Air, Canadian North and the smaller air carriers are about to be tested and WestJet is about to join the program. The First Air system uses the TAMDAR unit.

Progress on the development of the Canadian AMDAR Program, including results from the test of the First Air proof-of-concept system based on ISAT / TAMDAR/ Internet, and plans for the future will be presented.