Aviation Weather Forecaster Training Plans

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Aviation Weather ForecasterTraining Plans

• LeRoy Spayd
• NWS Office of Meteorology
• Chief, Science Training Core
• Aviation Weather Forum
• July 26, 2000

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OUTLINE

• NWS Aviation Weather Forecasting Training
  Requirements
• Learning Materials Available
• FY2001 Development Efforts

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NWS Aviation Weather Forecasting Training
Requirements

• For all NWS job areas, subject matter expert
  meetings were held to define universe of
  potential training needs
• 288 total training units, 31 of which are related
  to Aviation Weather Forecasting
• From this universe, NWS has an internal process
  to prioritize which items to develop in any given
  year

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NWS Aviation Weather Forecasting Training
Requirements (cont.)

• Interagency team of experts defined a complete
  set of job-based training requirements for NWS,
• Air Force, and Navy forecasters
• Forecasting Aviation Icing
• Forecasting Low-Altitude Clouds and Fog for
  Aviation Operations
• Forecasting Turbulence
• Impact of Aviation Weather on Customers
• CWSU On-Station Systems/Operations
• Issuing Effective CWSU Products

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NWS Aviation Weather Forecasting Training
Requirements (cont.)

• Highest priority training requirements defined by
  NWS field users support Service Areas identified
  in National Aviation Weather Initiatives
  document
• Ceiling Visibility
• Convective Hazards
• Enroute Terminal Winds/Temperatures
• In-Flight Icing
• Turbulence
• Volcanic Ash/Other Airborne Hazards

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Learning Materials Available

• NWS/Cooperative Program for Operational
  Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET)
  modules now available for access via the World
  Wide Web (Co-Funded by Air Force and Navy)
• Forecasting Aviation Icing Type and Severity
• Forecasting Aviation Icing Icing Assessment
  Using Sounding and Wind Profiles
• Forecasting Aviation Icing Icing Assessment
  Using Observations and Pilot Reports
• Radiation Fog

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Learning Materials Available (cont.)

• NWS/COMET CD Module
• Review of GOES-IR Imagery Including Winter and
  Icing Applications (done for Air Force)
• NWS/COMET Resource Data Set
• Forecasting Aviation Icing The Icing Event of 6
  March 1996

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Available Convective Hazards Training Resources

• NWS has developed the following training for
  Convective Hazards
• NWS Operational Support Facility/Operations
  Training Branch (OSF/OTB)
• WSR-88D Distance Learning Operations Course
• Warning Decision Making Workshop
• Supercell Explorer
• Storm Type and Prognostic Soundings
• Online case studies
• NWS/Central Region
• Heavy Precipitation Supercell

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Available Convective Hazards Training Resources
(cont.)

• NWS/COMET
• Anticipating Storm Structure and Evolution
• Mesoscale Convective Systems Squall Lines and
  Bow Echoes
• The Convective Storm Matrix
• Online case studies
• NWS Training Center (NWSTC)
• Local climatological data base development for
  critical severe weather parameters (in
  conjunction with NWS/Storm Prediction Center)

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Learning Materials Available

• NWS Alaska Region has provided a workshop for
  their forecasters on the Volcanic Ash and Other
  Airborne Hazards Service area - results of
  collaborative projects
• NWS/COMET hosts a Resource Training Web Page,
  which currently contains presentation materials
  on the following topics
• Great Lakes Workshop Mesoscale Convective System
  Case Study of 13 July 95
• Methodology for Forecasting Slantwise Convection
• Aviation Wind Shear and Low Level Wind Shear

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Weather Training for Pilots

• NWS/COMET produced a demonstration module on
  icing with multi-agency participation
• - OFCM - FAA - Navy
• - Air Force - NASA - AOPA
• - Australian Bureau of Meteorology
• Implementation suspended due to lack of funding
• Good learning experience to adapt materials for
  other users

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FY2001 Training Development

• NWSTC to begin work on a web-based unit on
  forecasting turbulence with the NWS Aviation
  Weather Center
• Continued development of web-based modules on
  Forecasting Low-Altitude Clouds and Fog by
  NWS/COMET
• Overview of Fog
• West Coast Fog
• Fog Cases

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FY2001 Training Development (cont.)

• NWS/COMET to develop and begin offering a
  directed distance learning course on Forecasting
  Low-Altitude Clouds and Fog
• To include self-paced and instructor-led modules
  (including teletraining)
• Focus on Assessing Physical Processes leading to
  the Development, Movement, or Dissipation of Low-
  Altitude Clouds and Fog During the Forecast
  Period
• Course also will touch on Forecasting the
  Spatial and Temporal Onset and Dissipation of
  Low-altitude Clouds and Fog

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Summary

• Continuing to develop high priority aviation
  weather forecaster training materials
• If funded, these materials could be adapted for
  other users
• Web address for modules
• www.comet.ucar.edu/modules/index.htm