Aviation Applications Program (AAP)
- About AAP
- AAP Projects
- AAP Research
- AAP Technology
- Contacts
Providing advanced weather technologies to support aviation and space operations
Aviation weather represents the majority of RAL's work. Within the aviation application area, our current research emphases are: in-flight icing; snowfall and freezing precipitation; convective storm nowcasting and forecasting; atmospheric turbulence; numerical weather prediction; remote sensing; data assimilation; precipitation physics; ceiling and visibility; oceanic weather; and verification methods. Development of useful aviation applications requires a strong connection between our work and the needs of aviators. End-user requirements are considered at each step along the development path. Our work tends to be heavily oriented toward real-time operational systems and this focus leads to an emphasis on algorithm development, specialized graphical displays, systems engineering, operational demonstrations, and the associated scientific validations and user-oriented evaluations.
Aviation Applications Projects
Short Term Convective Storm Forecasting
- Consolidated Storm Prediction for Aviation (CoSPA)
- Probabilistic Weather Integration with Air Traffic Management
- Nowcasting for Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) Ranges
- Forecaster Over-the-Loop Evaluation (NWS & WSI)
- Beijing Meteorological Bureau (BMB) and Olympics 2008 Forecast Demonstration Project
- Oceanic Weather
- Winter Weather
- Refractivity Experiment For H20 Research And Collaborative operational Technology Transfer (REFRACTT)
In-Flight Icing
- In-Flight Icing Product Development Team
- Advanced Satellite Aviation Weather Products (ASAP) Program
- High Ice Water Content (HIWC) Research
- NASA Icing Remote Sensing System (NIRSS)
- Icing Hazard Index
Winter Weather for Aviation
- Aircraft ground deicing (WSDDM)
- Consolidated Storm Prediction for Aviation (CoSPA)
- Evaluating winter instrumentation | Marshall
- Winter precipitation studies
Aviation Turbulence
- Automated in situ turbulence measurement and reporting methods using commercial aircraft
- In cloud turbulence detection from NEXRAD radars (NTDA)
- Airborne remote turbulence sensing techniques
- Aviation turbulence forecasting (GTG and GTG2)
- Aviation turbulence forecasting (GLOBAL)
- Characterization case studies of aviation scale turbulence
Ceiling and Visibility
Dissemination
- Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS)
- Experimental ADDS
- Next Generation Air Transport System
- NextGen Network Enabled Weather
- Real-Time Weather Data
Integration
Satellite Applications
Terminal Area Weather
AAP Research
AAP Technology
Primary Contacts
- CARMICHAEL, Bruce | AAP DIRECTOR | ph: 8406 | email: brucec
- BARRON, Bob: | AAP DEPUTY DIRECTOR | ph: 8410 | email: bob
- POLITOVICH, Marcia | AAP DEPUTY DIRECTOR | ph: 8449 | email: marcia
AAP's Focus Areas
Convective Weather
Convective storms pose a threat to human safety, transportation, and infrastructure.
In-Flight Icing
Avoidance of icing conditions would be possible with improved operationally-available, high–resolution, accurate diagnoses and forecasts.
Winter Weather
Winter Weather research and development at RAL has focused on the development of two new systems in support of Ground Deicing operations.
Turbulence
RAL has been involved in a number of research and development areas over the past several years aimed at better understanding turbulence as it relates to aviation safety and producing decision support systems to address operational needs.
Ceiling and Visibility
RAL's work on C&V diagnosis and forecast methods uses up–to–
the–minute observations and probabilistic numerical forecast methods to address safety issues for general aviation and schedule delays critical to
commercial aviation.
Dissemination
We strive to provide today's aviators with convenient web access to a variety of important aviation weather information.
Integration
Providing accurate, timely weather information at the temporal and spatial scales required by aviation decision makers is fundamental to NextGen's success in achieving capacity, efficiency, and safety goals.
Satellite Applications
Focusing on the acquisition and application of meteorological satellite data to enhance understanding of atmospheric processes and applications.
Terminal Area Weather
Local weather phenomena, during both summer and winter, can adversely affect operations in an airport terminal area. Accurate forecasts of these events, including thunderstorms, microbursts, gust fronts, heavy snow and freezing precipitation, can help airport and air traffic staff anticipate abrupt changes in weather and mitigate their effects on the smooth flow of air traffic.
Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS)
ADDS is an excellent example of RAL's mission to provide high quality science and technology products and tools to help solve societal problems. Read more. Read more.