The inaugural meeting of the Aircraft Meteorological Data Reporting (AMDAR) Panel of interested World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Members was held in Geneva, Switzerland in March 1998. It is recognized that automated meteorological reporting from aircraft has acquired new importance and has the potential to lead to a very large increase in the availability of high-quality and timely upper air data, particularly in data-sparse areas of the globe and will benefit all fields of meteorology. The goal of the AMDAR Panel is to enhance the upper air component of WMO's Global Observing System of the World Weather Watch Program.
"The goal of the Panel shall be to enhance the upper air component of the Composite Observing System of the World Weather Watch through cooperation among Members in the acquisition, exchange and quality control of meteorological observations from aircraft using automated reporting systems." A fundamental principle of the WMO is to broaden and enhance the free and unrestricted international exchange of data.
The initial work program of the Panel is aimed at addressing high priority issues that could be undertaken in the near term. It includes the coordination of national and regional AMDAR programs through the promotion of standardization of formats and reporting intervals, the improvement of AMDAR data exchange and quality control, along with the implementation of two pilot projects, one in Southern Africa and the other in the Middle East where deficiencies of upper air data were particularly noted.
The paper would examine in detail the historical background of automated aircraft reports, the need for the establishment of the AMDAR Panel, its goal, and finally, the work plan of the AMDAR Panel which is an internationally cooperative effort that I am confident will bring an enhanced data set and improved forecasts not only to international aeronautical users, but to the worldwide hydrometeorological community.
The 8th Conference on Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology