1. Introduction to AMDAR
Dean Lockett, WMO

2. Background on AMDAR & Aircraft-Based Observations
History of Aircraft-Based Observations
What is AMDAR
Introduction to WMO-IATA Collaborative AMDAR Programme & Synergies with WIGOS

3. Aircraft began collecting weather observations in 1919
NWS = National Weather Service of the USA

4. Attaching a Meteograph to the wing of a bi-plane

5. Weather Balloons Replace Aircraft in the Early 1940s
Aircraft soundings were discontinued in the early 1940s with the advent of the weather balloons with radiosondes.
Aircraft Weather Data Regains Popularity in the 1960s
The use of modern navigation and communication systems in the 1960s and 1970s sparked renewed interest in the use of aircraft to measure and report meteorological data. *

6. AIRCRAFT to SATELLITE DATA RELAY
Automated Weather Observations by aircraft was first used to relay wind and temperature data in support of the Global Weather Experiment FGGE* in
Observing system called prototype-ASDAR (USA)
17 Systems installed in 16 commercial B747s and one C-141 US airforce aircraft
later re-installed in commercial aircraft, mainly outside USA (KLM, LH)
*First Global GARP Experiment
(Global Atmospheric Research Programme) B
C-141 Cargo * *

7. AIRCRAFT to SATELLITE DATA RELAY (2)
Prototype-ASDAR
Data communication via Meteorological Geostationairy Satellites (Meteosat, GOES, GMS) [80N-80S]
Large and heavy equipment
Additional cost for extra fuel consumption for weight and antenna drag
Power Supply
Data Acquisitie & Processing;
Satellite Transmitter * *

8. AIRCRAFT to SATELLITE DATA RELAY (3)
ASDAR 2nd Generation
DPU
STU
1982: 10 WMO Member States
1991: ASDAR Second Generation:
Data communication via Meteorological Geostatioary Satellites (Meteosat, GOES, GMS)
Smaller and lighter equipment
23 Units; 7 airlines worldwide (SAA, Air Mauritius,SAUDIA, Aerolineas Argentinas, KLM, LH, BA)
Cost for extra fuel consumption (weight and antenna drag)
Last ASDAR unit decommissioned in (Air Mauritius B ER)
ASDAR
2nd Generation
Satellite antenna * *

9. 2. What is amdar

10. What is AMDAR AMDAR is: An automated aircraft-based observing system
Component of WIGOS and WMO GOS
PPP - Operated by WMO Member NMHSs with partner national airlines
Operated based on meteorological (WMO) requirements for provision of data
A system that:
provides meteorological data in near-real-time on the WMO GTS
Predominantly uses existing aircraft sensors and communications

11. What is AMDAR AMDAR onboard software (AOS) integrated into avionics:
Data acquisition
Data processing into messaging
Interaction with communications via ACARS
[Addition of water vapour sensor]
Data relayed via DataLink (ARINC/SITA)
Provision to NMHS for:
Decode/re-encode (BUFR)
Transmission on GTS
Integration into national met. Applications
Provision to data users
National Quality monitoring
International:
WMO Data Quality Monitoring System
Archival and access (WMO GDC)

12. What is AMDAR Parameters reported: Observations metadata Data quality:
Wind speed
Wind direction
Temperature
Humidity
Turbulence
Observations metadata
Pressure altitude
Latitude, Longitude
Observation time
Data quality:
+/- 2-3 ms-1 (vector)
+/- 1.0C
+/- 50 ppmv
n/a
+/- 4 hPa
Meets requirements

13. WMO Aircraft-Based Observations Programme (ABOP)
Apr-18
WMO ABO from various sources
AMDAR still ~95% of all ABO data
Supplemented by AIREPs & now ADS-C
And commercial data services
Data Quality Monitored and Controlled
Global ABO growing – but slowly
40 participating airlines
5,000+ AMDAR aircraft (10,000 all ABO)
Over 850,000 observations per day
Turbulence and WVM – also slow
Turbulence Reporting has increased at a few airlines
Quantity of Water Vapour Measurement data unchanged since 2016

14. WMO Aircraft-Based Observations Programme (ABOP)
Graphic Courtesy of NOAA/ESRL/GSD
Geographic Coverage Varies
Good: USA, W. Euro, E. Asia, Australia, NZ, So. Africa
Moderate: So. Am., Cent. Am., Canada
Poor: E. Euro, No. & Cent. Africa, Mid-East, W. Asia, SE Asia, Cent. Asia, SW Pacific Islands
Profile Temporal Distribution is uneven in those areas
Excellent: > 24 per day
Good: 8 – 24 per day
Minimum: 1 – 7 per day
Poor: <1 per day
AMDAR Profiles of Winds and Temps only
But not evenly spread in Time
And mostly Winds & Temps only

15. AMDAR Benefit vs Cost of Production
WMO
For Global NWP:
3rd largest impact on error reduction (~10%) - behind satellite sounders
Satellites provide
High volume & global coverage
But with less accuracy
At a very high cost
RAOBs provide
Good accuracy when available
But poor space/time coverage
At a high recurring cost
ABO/AMDAR Provides
Growing global spatial coverage
Much higher temporal coverage than radiosondes
Better accuracy than satellites
Lowest cost of these systems
At very low implementation risk
ABO achieves the Highest Benefit/Cost Ratio

16. Why isn’t AMDAR Growing?
While AMDAR data volume is growing, expansion over data-sparse areas has been limited with only slow growth of new programs.
Due to:
Difficulty obtaining aviaton industry cooperation.
Inadequate NMHS technical capacity.
Lack of funding – despite its low cost!

17. Background on IATA-WMO Collaboration
Dec. 2016: WMO and IATA reps met in Geneva -IATA presented Key Recommendations from a consultancy study on AMDAR and turbulence:
IATA to work with the WMO to expand the AMDAR program across the globe and establish a more equitable cost-recovery mechanism for the participating airlines;
IATA to set up a global turbulence database with real-time data transmission to airlines during flight operations.

18. Why Partner with IATA
AMDAR – 40 airlines within 12 programs (800K observations per day)
IATA now represents around 265 airlines in over 117 countries
Carrying 83% of the world’s air traffic, IATA members include the world’s leading passenger and cargo airlines
See:

19. Developing WMO-IATA Collaboration
WMO and IATA agreed on the benefits of working together towards possible future collaboration on AMDAR development and operation.
Established Working Arrangement on AMDAR – July 2017
Since then CBS and IATA working on developing Concept of Operations & Terms of Reference
Decision by Cg-18 (June 2019) on establishing WMO-IATA Collaborative AMDAR Programme

20. Key Aspects of WICAP Centralisation:
WMO Members provide data processing & management operations
IATA promotes/faciliteates AMDAR participation to airlines
Agreed Data Policy (Res. 40), improved security
WMO-IATA Governance
Agreement/contract framework
Regional:
RA collaborative planning & resourcing of operations - participating RA members - coordinated by TT-ABO
Regional Operational centres – data processing, quality management – Established as Regional WIGOS Centres

21. WIGOS - WICAP In each region:
Annual planning and development cyle
Ongoing operations
TT-ABO
Operations provided by Regional/Global WIGOS Centers:
1 (or more) Regional AMDAR Data Processing Centers (each RA)
WIGOS Data Quality Montioring Centers (each RA)
Global AMDAR Data Optimisation System

22. Thank you
Merci