The Chicago Aviation Initiative: More Than Meets The Eye A basis for improving customer service Mike Bardou Senior Forecaster/Aviation Program Leader National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville, IL Eric Lenning Science and Operations Officer National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville, IL

Chicago Aviation Program Profile 5 TAF sites, TRACON, ARTCC 5 TAF sites, TRACON, ARTCC Airport operations (snow removal, stranded passengers) Airport operations (snow removal, stranded passengers) Wide range of users: GA to Commercial Wide range of users: GA to Commercial – Ops/Day: ORD: 2,425 MDW: 707 GYY: 84 – Chicago TRACON ~1.25 million operations/year Numerous clubs/EAA Chapters/Flight Schools Numerous clubs/EAA Chapters/Flight Schools Prime example of Decision Support Services Prime example of Decision Support Services 2

Motivation Mission Connection: Mission Connection: – Life and Property = Safety – Enhancement of the national economy = costs/delays The FAA was not having its needs met and we did not have a solid awareness or understanding of those needs 3

Communicate Investigate/Brainstorm/ Develop User/Forecaster Training Evaluate 4

Communication WHY? WHY? – Learn who customers are – Gain understanding of user needs – Identify problems and challenges HOW? HOW? – Visits…lots of visits – Forums – Workshops 5

Communication FAA visits FAA visits – Towers – TRACON – ARTCC (CWSU) Airport Operations Airport Operations – ORD CityOps monthly meetings (City, FAA, Airlines) Two user forums Two user forums Briefing calls/Telcons Briefing calls/Telcons Internal communication WFO CWSU Internal communication WFO CWSU 6

Investigate/Brainstorm/Develop Based on expressed customer needs Based on expressed customer needs Address problems/shortcomings Address problems/shortcomings Identify measurable goals Identify measurable goals Prototypes/Demos? Prototypes/Demos? Fits within your ability to generate product/service…can you expand your abilities? Fits within your ability to generate product/service…can you expand your abilities? 7

Training Forecaster training to convey: Forecaster training to convey: – Awareness of user needs – Forecaster expertise – Techniques for delivering products/information User training to convey: User training to convey: – How to access and use products and services – What a product is telling them – Limitations of a product 8

Forecaster Training Seasonal workshops Seasonal workshops Best practices/lessons learned from events Best practices/lessons learned from events As-needed for new procedures/products As-needed for new procedures/products 9

User Training In-person with traffic managers, dispatchers, airport operations people In-person with traffic managers, dispatchers, airport operations people – WFO and CWSU can address user specific needs Recorded training Recorded training Raise awareness on available products Raise awareness on available products Highlight how to best use and interpret forecast products Highlight how to best use and interpret forecast products 10

Continuous Evaluation and Improvement Post-event analysis Post-event analysis – Understand how the forecast impacts customers – Understand how the weather itself impacts customers – Assess forecast performance/skill Measures of success/metrics Measures of success/metrics Are you meeting user needs? Are you meeting user needs? More communication! More communication! 11

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Communicate Investigate/Brainstorm/ Develop Refine User/Forecaster Training Identify Best Practices Evaluate Event Analysis The Process Continues 13

Continuous Evaluation and Improvement What can be done to ensure the product meets user needs if it does not? What can be done to ensure the product meets user needs if it does not? How can we more efficiently produce the information? How can we more efficiently produce the information? What have we learned from past events? What have we learned from past events? – Best practices, forecast techniques, conceptual models, forecaster guidance – more training? *This has become the foundation of our evolution* 14

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Another Simple Example FAA shares a concern about delays when having to flip the airport to a different configuration due to changing wind direction. FAA shares a concern about delays when having to flip the airport to a different configuration due to changing wind direction. NWS creates “Wind Shift” metric to track POD and Lead Time for such events. NWS creates “Wind Shift” metric to track POD and Lead Time for such events. New/Refined Products and Services: New/Refined Products and Services: – More specific/frequent TAFs and AFDs – Calls to FAA facilities Customer Needs → Measurable Goals → Products and Services 16

O’Hare Wind Shift Metrics Wind Shifts That Led to Runway Configuration Changes – Number of Missed Events Pre- Initiative Change Change to date %6-72%2 TAF Lead Time on Wind Shifts That Led to Runway Configuration Changes Pre- Initiative Change Change to date 16.5 hours 21.2 hours +28%22.6 hours +37%

In Summary This is a continuous cycle This is a continuous cycle Communication is critical Communication is critical Ultimately this process has led to much more effective relationships Ultimately this process has led to much more effective relationships 18

The Evolution Continues The Evolution Continues… Another customer forum Another customer forum – Feedback on the Winter Precip Outlook and Thunderstorm Probabilities On-Site TRACON support for significant events? On-Site TRACON support for significant events? Evaluate event reviews to refine best practices and develop improved forecast methods/tool Evaluate event reviews to refine best practices and develop improved forecast methods/tool Gridded aviation Gridded aviation – Provide guidance for non-TAF airports – Develop tools that utilize conceptual models from event reviews, forecaster analysis, and numerical guidance The Marine Program The Marine Program 19

Another Metric: Customer Satisfaction "Lake Michigan causes things to change, more dynamically than other parts of the country. Our meteorologists seem to be pretty on top of that. The working relationship is a very two way street both learning from each other." - ARTCC STMC, Kevin Freidlein - ARTCC STMC, Kevin Freidlein I’m really happy to see the NWS attending the [FAA Customer] Forum. They have been committed to delivering new services and are looking for opportunities to improve the communication of weather information that will enhance the decision-making process. - Tim Matuszewski, Sr. Manager Air Traffic Services, United Airlines “…can't get over the change in the CWSU. Every couple weeks they've got something new for us to look at.” - ARTCC Manager Bill Cound Two phone calls to thank the aviation forecaster for a heads-up phone call on June 29 storms that developed and moved into the terminal vicinity. “The information really helped us out.” - Jay and John, O’Hare ATCT. 20