2005 Pacific Aviation Directors Workshop April 5-7 National Weather Service Pacific Region

Pacific Region Aviation Program Last Year l Guam WFO Aviation Responsibilities –8 TAFs, Western Pacific SIGMETs, Guam Won Pat Int’l Airport AWW, ROFORs (upon request) l Honolulu WFO Aviation Responsibilities –16 TAFs, Central Pacific SIGMETs and AIRMETs, Wind/Temp Aloft, ROFORs, and possible HNL AWW

Changes in Pacific Region Aviation TAFs – Old Vs. Current l Guam l Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian, Koror, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei l Honolulu l Lihue, Honolulu, Kalaeloa, Kahalui, Hilo, Kona, Molokai, Kapalua, Lanai l Pago Pago l Johnston Island -closed l Midway Island l Wake Island -DOD l Kwajalein, Majuro, Kosrae

Changes to SIGMETs (SIGnificant METeorological Advisories) in Pacific Region l Last Year – Guam and Honolulu both wrote SIGMETs l Currently – Only Honolulu writes SIGMETs covering Micronesia, Palau, RMI, CNMI and Guam including the Volcanic Ash SIGMETs l SIGMETs are issued for Tropical Cyclones, Volcanic Ash, Severe Tstms, Tornadoes, Hail, Severe Icing, Severe or Clear Air Turbulence

Volcanic Ash SIGMETs l Anatahan within Guam’s Zone forecast but SIGMETs now come from Honolulu. l Haze and/or VOG do not necessarily need a SIGMET – but in the Public Zone Forecast l Deposition of ash would mean a SIGMET would be necessary – observations and coordination between the offices is key

Xfer of SIGMETs From GUM to HFO On Sept. 29 th, 2004

AIRman’s METeorolgoical Advisories AIRMETs Thresholds are below the status of SIGMETs. Mainly for VFR pilots on Turbulence, Icing and IFR conditions

Flight Categories VFRVSBY > 5 SM CIG > 3000 ft MVFR VSBY 3-5 SM CIGs 1 to 3 kft IFR VSBY 1 < 3 SM CIG 500 to 900 ft LIFRVSBY < 1 CIG < 500 ft VLIFRVSBY < ¼ SM VSBY < 200 ft Statistical group only, not a flight category

Strengths of Pacific Region Aviation Program l Each WFO has local verification –Monthly Pacific Regional statistics are run l WFO Guam and WFO Honolulu hold annual Aviation Users Workshop –Provides valuable feedback and outreach l This meeting + continued efforts to meet with users on a regular basis l Using TEMPO and PROB groups less frequently and for 4 hours at most

Different Goals for Pacific Region?... Why? - CONUS sites obtain these VLIFR conditions only 0.5% of the time. PR 20 times less than that. - CONUS sites obtain these VLIFR conditions only 0.5% of the time. PR 20 times less than that. - Pacific Region Aviation Climatology - Pacific Region Aviation Climatology VFR92% MVFR 7.47% IFR.45% LIFR.05% VLIFR.025% VFR92% MVFR 7.47% IFR.45% LIFR.05% VLIFR.025%

How will we obtain these goals?... Aviation Climatology and the USERS! Maybe rain at some of the shorter runways is most significant to users - or any MVFR condition. Maybe wind direction and speed in the tropical Pacific is most significant to users. Examine a Database of Hourly Ceilings and Visibility at respective TAF sites. Track the Avg. Length of Time the values stayed within a specific allowable range of the initial Ceiling or Visibility Value.

Communications l NWS will be responsible for providing the only met comms in Micronesia (per new MOU with the FAA) l NWS will strive to convert Internet to dedicated service – discontinue the use of dial-up l Goal is to cancel AFTN/MET once FAA completes transition of datastream to alternate pathway – AISR l Long term Goal (2-4 yrs.) provide a robust direct comms path utilizing VSAT for met products and data to Micronesia.

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