1. Enhancing Safe Flight Operations at Your Airport Facility
AWOS 101
Enhancing Safe Flight Operations at Your Airport Facility

2. Michael Trosclair Sales Manager May 2nd, 2018
Oklahoma Airport Operators Association
Tulsa, OK

3. Agenda
DBT Overview
AWOS Overview
AWOS Siting
Maintenance
NADIN

4. Who is DBT?
DBT Transportation Services is a small woman owned business whose principals are aviation professionals with over 75 years of Aviation and Service experience. DBT provides field maintenance services in North American for Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS), Runway/Roadway Weather Information Systems (RWIS) and NADIN data dissemination services into the National Airspace. The company has offices in Colorado, just outside Denver. The company tagline is “Doing Business Together”​ and is built on the belief we focus on the customer providing a nationwide service with a home- town feel.

5. DBT Transportation Services
Headquartered in Lafayette, CO
Specialize in equipment, installation, and servicing of AWOS Systems:
Over 2000 AWOS systems nationwide
Over 600 AWOS maintenance sites nationwide
Over 650 AviMet Data Link (NADIN)
Support a variety of aviation weather products:
Sensors for non-Fed FAA AWOS systems
Runway Weather Information Systems’ Maintenance (RWIS)
Runway Visual Range (RVR)
NAVAID Maintenance

6. DBT Transportation Services
Vaisala Divested the following business lines to DBT in 2016: •    U.S. Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) products •    AWOS Field Service and Technical Support •    AWOS NADIN Data Services •    NavAids Field Service  •    Road Weather Information System (RWIS) Field Service Maintenance Contracts
Vaisala is the manufacturer of the AWOS by FAA certification
DBT is the sole market provider of the Vaisala AWOS system
DBT handles all business aspects for the Vaisala AWOS product line

7. What is an AWOS?
Automated Weather Observation System
Computerized system that automatically measures weather parameters
Prepares a weather observation (METAR) and broadcasts the information to pilots
Observations are real-time; broadcast to pilots is updated once per minute
Broadcasts performed over discrete VHF frequency, or other NAVAIDs such as voice-capable VOR or NDB

8. AWOS & ASOS Automated Weather Observation System
Owned and maintained by the airport / municipality
Usually installed at General Aviation airports
Ongoing purchases and installations
Automated Surface Observation System
Owned and maintained by FAA/NWS/DOD
Usually installed at commercial service and reliever airports
Manufacture and installation completed in 2004

9. AWOS Certification
FAA Certified as official flight weather for an airport
Advisory Circular 150/
(AWOS for non-federal applications
FAA – Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
Oklahoma City, OK )
Description
Certification Standards
Installation
Operating Instructions
Training Programs
Annual System Revalidation
AWOS Siting Order

10. AWOS Levels and Capabilities
AWOS A Altimeter Setting Only
AWOS I AWOS A plus temperature / dew point
wind speed and direction, density altitude
AWOS II AWOS I plus visibility
AWOS III AWOS II plus cloud height and sky condition
New Requirement – Tipping Bucket – AC Rev D
AWOS III P AWOS III with present weather capability
AWOS III PT AWOS III P with thunderstorm detection
AWOS IIIPTR AWOS IIIPT with runway surface condition sensor
AWOS IV All previous levels plus freezing rain sensor

11. Common Siting Criteria
Non-Precision Approach Airports (primary surface of 500’)
From 1000’ – 3000’ from the threshold of the primary runway.
From 500’ – 1000’ from the centerline of the runway.
Precision Approach Airports (primary surface of 1000’)
From 750’ – 1000’ from the centerline of the runway.
For the wind sensors there is a 500’ radius clear zone around the AWOS. The wind sensors must be 15’ above anything within the 500’ that blocks more than a 10 degree angle. The wind sensors are normally mounted at 32’ AGL which means nothing over 17’ high within 500’.

12. AWOS Project Timeline
Process for new AWOS requires approximately 9 months to 1 year
FAA Siting Approval (2 months)
VHF Frequency License (2 months)
UHF Frequency License (3 months)(If required)
Equipment Manufacturing (2-3 months)
Installation and Commissioning (1 week)

13. AWOS Installation Visibility/Present Weather Wind Sensors Rain Gauge
Temp/Humidity
Ceilometer
Barometer
VHF Radio
UPS

14. Stand-Alone vs. Split Configuration
ACU – Stand Alone
Only local display is indoors
Fewer components
Phone line at AWOS site location
VHF Radio transmitting to pilots at AWOS site location
Split
Phone line at FBO / terminal building
Higher cost (for DBT system) / more components (processor inside)
VHF radio located at FBO / terminal building

15. Stand Alone – ACU
All data acquisition, data processing and voice processing is performed at the AWOS sensor site.

16. Split Configuration
This configuration splits the function of the Internal Processor between a data collection package (DCP) located at the AWOS site and a voice data processor (VDP) typically located indoors.

17. How to obtain an AWOS? AIP funding –embed within a larger project
BCA – Benefit/Cost analysis
Bidding process – how to get what you want via the engineering / consulting process
Private Money – purchase what you want
Ask Vic nicely…..

18. AWOS Maintenance DBT offers full Service
3 Tri-Annual inspections – one annual with the FAA
Maintenance is Required to keep AWOS on the air
Trained and Certified Technicians
FCC-licensed
Manufacturer trained
FAA certified
DBT offers full Service
Proactive Maintenance
Software program – RM3 – to automatically monitor all AWOS observations remotely
Initial response time of no more than 24 hours during normal business hours

19. NADIN
What is NADIN?
Single communications link to distribute your weather data to every possible outlet = FAA WMSCR
AWOS data available through:
Flight Services
DUATS
Air Traffic Control
Avionics – Ground-to-Air Weather
Pilot briefing systems
Internet sources – weather.com, ADDS, etc.
The Weather Channel
Foreflight App
Local observation available for National Weather Service forecasting
Remote monitor and trouble-shoot

20. Questions?

21. Contact Information
Michael Trosclair

22. Thank You!