february2023 - 32

Airports
air reports (METARs) are due to false
present weather information. This is typically
due to three primary issues:
* Detection: Missed weather events
due to insufficient detection
sensitivity.
* Identification: Inadequate precipitation
identification performance
due to a lack of high-quality raw
data and unoptimized identification
algorithms.
* Field Performance: Increased operational
measurement disturbances
caused by suboptimal product
design and lack of contamination
compensation.
Fortunately, by integrating the latest
real-time weather and system algorithms
with accurate weather observations and
reporting, innovative aviation weather
management solutions enable comprehensive
situational awareness of
the weather within and above airport
boundaries. Empowered with such solutions,
decision-makers can improve the
effectiveness and timeliness of weather
impact mitigation plans and help pilots
avoid or take precautionary measures
in inclement conditions. These solutions
better maintain safe, efficient operations
and minimize downtime when severe
weather strikes, most notably with freezing
conditions, low visibility and wind.
Staying Ahead of Freezing
Conditions
When temperatures plummet, and precipitation
falls from the sky, freezing
conditions complicate daily operations
and require extra time and manpower to
ensure safe travel. In addition to causing
costly delays and cancellations, extreme
cold forces decision-makers to deice
and anti-ice aircraft and ameliorate the
impact of freezing conditions on runways
and taxiways. Unfortunately, the deicing
and anti-icing processes can have a significant
impact on resources. Not only
are the fluids used costly, but queuing
planes for these processes can further
delay operations.
While nature cannot be controlled,
weather radars can deliver precise meteorological
information for an area, tracking
and nowcasting the location of severe
storms. By providing advanced warning
of a broad range of approaching weather
phenomena, including wind shear, precipitation
(type and amount), thunderstorms,
microbursts and more, weather
radar enables good situational awareness
and helps improve safety and airport
efficiency since planes can be directed to
avoid inclement weather conditions.
In addition, more advanced tools are
available to help mitigate the impact of
freezing conditions in winter weather,
specifically advanced lidar ceilometer
technology.
While ceilometers have been an
essential part of basic weather instrumentation
at airports for many years
for the information they provide about
cloud height - especially safety-critical,
low-altitude clouds - as well as vertical
visibility and cloud coverage, new ceilometers
on the market go beyond standard
cloud height reporting.
Novel lidar ceilometers with depolarization
capabilities enable the detection
of icing conditions, volcanic ash and
sand/dust layers aloft. This provides a
much deeper understanding of what is
happening in the atmosphere immediately
above the airport or in the surrounding
area.
Designed for unattended operations,
these ceilometers provide cloud height
measurements thanks to new depolarization
technology. Depolarization can
clearly differentiate between solid and
liquid particles to help detect essential
phenomena that can impact aviation
safety and efficiency. With these measurements,
decision-makers can notify
aircraft how they could be impacted and
enable airport operators to take necessary
action.
With severe icing conditions serving
According to the FAA, inclement weather conditions make up nearly 70% of
all delays exceeding 15 minutes in an average year.
32 || Ground Support Worldwide || February 2023
as a significant weather hazard for aviation,
this technology has been beneficial
in addressing icing conditions in colder
climates. In such environments, icing
conditions occur more frequently, and
airports must be better prepared. While
VAISALA
VAISALA
february2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of february2023
