Presented to: NASA Applied Sciences Weather Program Review By: Warren Fellner, Aviation Weather Office Date: November 18, 2008 Federal Aviation Administration FAA Plans and Requirements for NextGen

2 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, Focusing Research Activities for NextGen Recapture interagency R&D coordination: –FAA –NASA –NWS Focus on the end game-research to operations The future is the 4D cube and the NEO environment Research is one element in the complex Aviation Weather Enterprise

3 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, Aviation Weather Research Program (AWRP) Description of Project The Aviation Weather Research Program (AWRP) develops new and improved weather algorithms for NAS and NWS platforms. The AWRP provide improved short-term and mid-term forecasts of naturally occurring atmospheric hazards, such as turbulence, severe convection activity, icing, and restricted visibility once transitioned to operations, these improved forecasts will enhance flight safety, reduce air traffic controller and pilot work overload, enable better flight planning, increase common situational awareness. The AWRP conducts research on methods to provide weather observations, warning, and forecasts that are more accurate, accessible, and efficient, and to meet current and planned requirements. Schedule FY 2009 Milestones In-flight icing forecast capability for Alaska ready for test approval. Transition turbulence forecast greater than 10,000 ft for implementation on operational ADDS Transition CONUS display of ceiling, visibility, and flight category analysis for implementation on operational ADDS Conduct testing of Rapid Refresh Weather Research and Forecast model. Develop prototype Network-Enabled Verification Service for meeting System Wide Information Management architecture requirements. Determine liquid water equivalent rate and resultant for snow, freezing rain and freezing drizzle. FY 2010 Milestones Develop 0-6 hour Advanced Storm Prediction capability for Northeast. Implement Mountain-Wave and Probabilistic Turbulence forecast capability on operational ADDS Implement WRF/RR upgrade for FIP/CIP Severity Implement CONUS NCV deterministic analysis on oper. ADDS Integrate Canadian radar data into real-time, national, three-dimensional radar mosaics. Develop specification for operational approval of liquid water equivalent technology for ground de-icing guidance. Aviation Weather Hazards Aviation Weather Info Storms C&V In-Fl. Icing Turb. Vol. Ash

4 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, NextGen Network Enabled Weather (NNEW) The 4-D weather data cube is a 4 ‑ dimensional virtual database of weather information distributed among multi-agency sources for aviation use. Description of Project NextGen Network Enabled Weather (NNEW), one of five NextGen Transformational Programs, enables universal access to weather information to enable collaborative and dynamic NAS decision making. NNEW is a key FAA contribution to an interagency effort to provide quick, easy, and cost effective access to weather information across all NAS users. Specifically, NNEW is the FAA program that will define and provide the FAA’s portion of the interagency infrastructure known as the 4- Dimensional Weather Data Cube (4-D Wx Data Cube). All categories of weather users will have improved access to timely and accurate weather information to support improved decision making, while enhancing safety. NNEW consists of; (1) weather data published in various databases within FAA, NOAA, and DoD, as well as commercial weather data providers that may participate; (2) registries/repositories needed to locate and retrieve published data; (3) the capability to translate among various standards that will be employed, and to provide data in user required units and coordinate systems; and (4) the capability to support retrieval requests for data volumes

5 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, NextGen Network Enabled Weather (NNEW) The 4-D weather data cube is a 4 ‑ dimensional virtual database of weather information distributed among multi-agency sources for aviation use. Schedule FY 2009 Milestones Conduct Initial Investment Analysis Conduct interoperability demonstration with DoD/DoC Conduct real-time evaluations of weather communications and 4-D Weather Data Cube FY 2010 Milestones Conduct Final Investment Analysis Complete interoperability demonstrations and evaluations Conduct risk reduction evaluations for 4-D Weather Data Cube using candidate NAS systems

6 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, Description of Project Reduced Weather Impact (RWI) is a planning and development portfolio to ensure NextGen operational weather capabilities utilize a broad range of weather improvements and technologies to mitigate the effects of weather in future NAS operations. This portfolio has two major elements: weather observation improvements and weather forecast improvements. This portfolio will address many weather problems including, but not limited to, rightsizing the observations network, transition of weather research to operations, development of weather impact metrics, development of weather decision support tools, integration of weather information into operations, weather processor architecture redesign and restructuring and the transition planning for legacy systems. RWI will conduct planning, prototyping, demonstrations, engineering evaluation and investment readiness activities leading to an implementation of operational capabilities throughout NextGen near, mid and far terms. Schedule FY 2009 Milestones Develop MPAR Concept of Use (ConUse) Preparation for Initial Investment Analysis for IOC Conduct 0-6 hour northeast corridor convective forecast FY 2010 Milestones Develop architecture for NextGen networked observation sensors Develop MPAR preliminary requirements MPAR Demonstrator Development (multi vendor) Develop architecture for NextGen networked observation sensors Reduced Weather Impact Satellites Aircraft

7 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, Weather in the Cockpit Program (WTIC) Description of Project The Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) program will enable flight deck weather information technologies that provide crews with timely, comprehensive weather information from on-board sensors, cross-link from nearby aircraft, and up-link from ground-based processors to support replanning and weather hazard avoidance in flight, as well, as in-situ observations to nearby aircraft for weather avoidance decisions and ground- based processors for direct and forecast use in ATM decision support processes. WTIC will conduct requirements development, technology assessment, proof of concept demonstration, prototyping, as well as policy and standards development. The WTIC program will advance NextGen by: Utilizing the aircraft as a node in the system Integrating weather into cockpit decision making Improving system safety Enhancing Shared Situational Awareness Schedule FY 2009 Milestones Develop initial Concept of Operations, including integration of weather in flight deck decision support tools, weather dissemination management, and GA operations. Develop initial comprehensive weather info user needs statement in different types of operation for each phase of flight. Assess currently available onboard weather info processing technology, emerging ground and cockpit communications interface technologies, and options for communication systems. FY 2010 Milestones Identify weather information currently being integrated into cockpit technologies (e.g., FMS.) Assess the regulatory impact of probabilistic forecasts

8 Federal Aviation Administration NASA November 18, Questions