TRACON Summary

Center/TRACON Summary: 

Center/TRACON Summary PCT - C90 – D10

Agenda: 

Agenda Purpose of visits Locations Questions used Feedback from visits Next steps

Purpose (from CSG): 

Purpose (from CSG) Re-define user requirements for the CCFP with the intent of improving verification processes, granularity and accuracy Consider/establish draft requirements for a terminal, TRACON, or ‘hub’ forecast

Purpose (from WET): 

Purpose (from WET) Visit FAA TRACON and center facilities and airline industry operations centers for customer site visits in order to obtain user input For CCFP requirements/improvements and For establishing user needs to develop requirements for a TRACON or ‘hub’ forecast

Locations Visited: 

Locations Visited Potomac TRACON (PCT) Chicago TRACON (C90) and Tower DFW TRACON (D10) and ZFW Center United Airlines (UAL)

Questions Used: 

Questions Used A standard set of questions developed through the WET leadership team that focus on CCFP use and TRACON forecast needs A sample is available

Slide7: 

PCT Feedback

CCFP: 

CCFP What decisions are made using the CCFP? Limited, the forecast time-frame for PCT is 1-hour and their operation is 98% tactical, therefore no other CCFP questions were asked at the TRACON

TRACON Questions: 

TRACON Questions Size of the PCT is ~21,500 sq. mi. What weather causes the greatest impact to operations in the TRACON? 1st Priority is TS and convective activity 2nd Priority is winds; causing configuration change 3rd Priority is Low C & V, which limit terminal operations Note: Accurate winds and ceiling information is a must at the terminal level “We need a tool that could fcst winds accurately and predict airport configuration 1-hour in advance”

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. What products are currently used to forecast weather? ITWS used for winds (gust fronts and winds aloft) Note – they really like ITWS information NWS METARS and TAFS Intellicast web-site for TS information ASR-9 radar data and lightning strike data on TSD Weather Channel – not for ATC decision making What decisions are made from these products? Airport reconfiguration; holding or moving aircraft; and departure stops

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. Are these products adequate? Yes, But always room for improvement Would like to see integration of all weather information on one product What features are liked and are most useful? Winds aloft on ITWS What time horizon is most important? 1-hour lead time, with 15-minute updates

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. How should wx forecasts be integrated into decision support tools? One system (computer) that has weather information that the TACON, TWR and Center all have the ability to see Note from “other” Biggest issue is getting information from many sources and having to sort it PCT does not see value in the NCWF product; too generic, not integrated with tops information

Slide13: 

C90 Feedback

CCFP: 

CCFP What decisions are made using the CCFP? CCFP is used in C90 TMU unit as a ‘big-picture’ look for the day, early in the morning for the trend of what the day will look like After the initial look, rely heavily on tactical products The ZAU center informs the TRACON unit if any initiatives will affect them Note: A CCFP nowcast would be useful to them; similar to the CIWS 2-hour forecast 2-hours is strategic in the TRACON

TRACON Questions: 

TRACON Questions Size of C90 is 40-mile radius from ORD, surface to 13,000 ft. What weather causes the greatest impact to operations in the TRACON? 1st Priority is convective activity 2nd Priority is winds; causing configuration change, especially winds off lake Michigan 3rd Priority is Low C & V, which limit terminal operations

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. What products are currently used to forecast weather? ITWS, CIWS, TSD with radar and echo top info ARTS display with ASR-9 radar UAL hub forecast and convective outlook products NWS METAR and TAF Occasionally receive forecast info from ZAU CWSU Weather Channel – not for ATC decision making What decisions are made from these products? Growth and decay of storms; tops; motion/velocity of cells; intensity

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. Are these products adequate? Somewhat, but always room for improvement What features are liked and are most useful? Wind information from ITWS C90 has a very specific need to identify wind information off Lake Michigan (the lake breeze), and know when it will arrive at the aprt and at what velocity What time horizon is most important? 30 minutes to 1-hour lead times, with 30-minute updates

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. How should wx forecasts be integrated into decision support tools? CIWS-like information integrated into the TSD or vise versa would be preferred. Their current procedure is to ‘eye-ball’ the CIWS data and utilize the TSD for decision making Note from “other” Local knowledge of the weather is very important to them because of their geographic location and proximity to the lake effect

Slide19: 

DFW D10 Feedback

CCFP: 

CCFP What decisions are made using the CCFP? Limited, the forecast time-frame for D10 is 1-hour and their operation is very tactical, therefore no other CCFP questions were asked at the TRACON When an initiative involves their facility they utilize CCFP for collaboration Early morning look at the 4- and 6-hour panel to the west for airspace impact timing

TRACON Questions: 

TRACON Questions Size of DFW is ~4,700 sq. mi up to 17,000 ft What weather causes the greatest impact to operations in the TRACON? 1st Priority is convective activity 2nd Priority is winds/gust fronts 3rd Priority is low C & V

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. What products are currently used to forecast weather? ITWS, TSD, ASR-9 radar, local Internet weather radar loops (both reflectivity and composite) What decisions are made from these products? Airport configuration change – ITWS winds Severity of TS activity – ITWS radar

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. Are these products adequate? Yes, especially ITWS What features are liked and are most useful? ITWS gust front information ITWS winds and forecast loop (½ hour real-time and ½ hour forecast loop) What time horizon is most important? 30-minute lead times, with 15-minute updates

TRACON Questions, Cont.: 

TRACON Questions, Cont. How should wx forecasts be integrated into decision support tools? They felt integration may not be the best thing their operations, however, mentioned ITWS integrated into their ARTS Color Display (ACD) would be helpful Note from “other” TSD refresh rates are inadequate for their time period (15-minutes from corner post to landing) Utilize www.weather.com forecast for staffing requirements

Slide25: 

ZFW Center Feedback

TRACON Feedback: 

TRACON Feedback ITWS is an important tool in their decision making process For corner post areas, winds/gust fronts and configuration changes WARP Four panel setup that includes Satellite, infrared satellite, echo tops, and radar Weather information priorities: 1st Priority convective weather 2nd Priority winds and wind shift 3rd Priority is C & V

Next Steps: 

Next Steps Complete the customer site visits Summarize visits into one document