center weather service unit cwsu zfw support of air traffic operations douglas reno
TRANSCRIPT
Center Weather Service Unit CWSU Center Weather Service Unit CWSU ZFW ZFW
Support of Air Traffic OperationsSupport of Air Traffic Operations
Douglas Reno
Fort Worth Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)
Birth of the CWSU Program:Birth of the CWSU Program:Southern Airlines crash 04 April 1977Southern Airlines crash 04 April 1977NTSB Recommendation to FAA:NTSB Recommendation to FAA:NTSB-AAR-78-3 dated 26 January 1978NTSB-AAR-78-3 dated 26 January 1978
Weather Support to be provided from NWS with Weather Support to be provided from NWS with On-siteOn-site Meteorologists Meteorologists
20 CWSU’s in the CONUS (1 in Alaska) 3 Meteorologists 1 Meteorologist-in-Charge
Two shifts per day(Normally…one forecaster per shift)(ZFW: 5:30am – 9:30pm…overtime as needed)Two formal briefings per day: 7:00am / 3:00pm
ZFW High Altitude Sectors: FL240 & Above
ZFW Low Altitude Sectors: Below FL240
Fort Worth ARTC CenterFort Worth ARTC Center
DFW DFW TRACON TRACON ArrivalArrival and and DepartureDeparture operations.operations.
ZHU Arrivals 7am – 9pm
SPS
LTS FSICVS
DFW
ACT
SHVGGGABI
LBB
MAF
TXK
GVT
ADM
HOB
GRK
MLU
SJT(MAF)
END
OKC
TUL
FSMCSM
Terminal & En-Route OperationsTerminal & En-Route Operations
Fort Worth ARTCC
POE
• 16 Radar Approach Control Facilities16 Radar Approach Control Facilities
• 6 VFR Towers6 VFR Towers
• 85 Airports With Instrument Approaches 85 Airports With Instrument Approaches
•Average annual total traffic for 2008: 1,785,885Average annual total traffic for 2008: 1,785,885
Tools / Products we useTools / Products we use
(Developed in-house)Plotter, PP Tools, Climate Program WARP – Weather and Radar Processor
AWIPS – Advanced Weather Interactive Processing SystemN-AWIPSITWS – Integrated Terminal Weather SystemMETARs, TAFs, AFDsSPC / HPC / AWC / TPC products
Right clickon metarto displaylist of observations
Display of Airmets
WARP Generated Radar Mosaic with StandardWARP Generated Radar Mosaic with StandardInstrument Departure OverlayInstrument Departure Overlay
WARP Generated Echo Tops FL300 and AboveWARP Generated Echo Tops FL300 and Above
Integrated Terminal Weather System ITWSIntegrated Terminal Weather System ITWS
Products / ServicesProducts / Services
Participate in CCFP Participate in CCFP
Collaborative Convective Forecast ProductCollaborative Convective Forecast Product
Internet chat: every 2 hours Internet chat: every 2 hours
Prepare CWSU / WFO FWDPrepare CWSU / WFO FWD
Coordination DiscussionCoordination Discussion
Prepare Center Weather Advisories – CWAPrepare Center Weather Advisories – CWA
Solicit / Disseminate PIREPSSolicit / Disseminate PIREPS
DFW Weather & Airport Acceptance RatesDFW Weather & Airport Acceptance Rates
CIGS VSBY ARRIVALS/HR IMPACT (AAR)>4000 >6 120+ No ARTCC problems 1000-4000 3-6 112-114 Limited or no visual approaches 200-900 1/2-3 96 In-trail spacing needed (MIT)<200 <1/4 78-84 Significant delays (MIT GDP)
Other Weather Conditions
TSRA 0+ Variable delays (MIT GDP GS)FZRA/FZDZ/SN Delays for de-icing (MIT GDP GS)WINDSHIFTS Up to 30 minutes of ground/airborne delays to switch runways.CROSSWINDS20-24KT 114-84 Miles in Trail (MIT)>25KT < 78 MIT GDP
ZCZC FTWWRKZFWZCZC FTWWRKZFWTTAA00 KFTW 182310 TTAA00 KFTW 182310 FORT WORTH CWSU AVIATION DISCUSSION...182301Z CONCERNS...WND TRENDS. EXP WNDS FORT WORTH CWSU AVIATION DISCUSSION...182301Z CONCERNS...WND TRENDS. EXP WNDS TO DECOUPLE NEXT HR...W/ GSTS DMSHG AND SUSTND SPDS CONTG NR 12-15KT. SPDS TO DECOUPLE NEXT HR...W/ GSTS DMSHG AND SUSTND SPDS CONTG NR 12-15KT. SPDS DMSHG TO AOB 10KT AFT 06Z. NW WNDS CONTG WED 8-12KT BCMG LGT NW NEAR END OF DMSHG TO AOB 10KT AFT 06Z. NW WNDS CONTG WED 8-12KT BCMG LGT NW NEAR END OF TAF AS SFC HI PRES BLDS ACRS CNTRL TX. OTRW...VFR/FEW-SCT MID CLDS BCMG SKC BY TAF AS SFC HI PRES BLDS ACRS CNTRL TX. OTRW...VFR/FEW-SCT MID CLDS BCMG SKC BY 03Z. 03Z.
DFW AIRPORT ACCEPTANCE RATE..114. DFW AIRPORT ACCEPTANCE RATE..114.
DFW WX DELAYS/ACFT...NONE.DFW WX DELAYS/ACFT...NONE.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS FOR DFW (Timing of onset/ending very important) IMPORTANT NUMBERS FOR DFW (Timing of onset/ending very important)
CIGS CIGS VSBY VSBY ARRIVALS/HR ARRIVALS/HR IMPACT IMPACT >4000 >4000 >6 >6 120+120+ No ARTCC/TRACON problems No ARTCC/TRACON problems 1000-4000 1000-4000 3-63-6 112-114 112-114 Limited or no visual approaches Limited or no visual approaches 200-900 200-900 1/2-3 1/2-3 96 96 In-trail spacing needed In-trail spacing needed <200 <200 <1/4 <1/4 78-84 78-84 Significant delays Significant delays TSRA TSRA 0+ variable delays 0+ variable delays FZRA/FZDZ FZRA/FZDZ major delays for de-icingmajor delays for de-icing WINDSHIFTS--up to 20 minutes of ground/airborne delays to switch rwys. WINDSHIFTS--up to 20 minutes of ground/airborne delays to switch rwys.
NNNN NNNN
CWSU / WFO FWD Coordination Discussion
CWA – Center Weather AdvisoryCWA – Center Weather Advisory
Valid up to 2 hours
Convection (for ZFW…normally 1 hour)TurbulenceIcingIFR / LIFRLow-Level Wind Shear
Coverage by: Area, line, point
Solicit / Disseminate Pilot ReportsSolicit / Disseminate Pilot Reports
FAA Strategic Plan of OperationsFAA Strategic Plan of Operations
Teleconference held every two hours…Teleconference held every two hours…– Input from CCFPInput from CCFP– Input from forecaster…Input from forecaster…
especially routes affected by thunderstormsespecially routes affected by thunderstorms Potential for LIFR (Ceilings < 005/Visibility < 1SM)Potential for LIFR (Ceilings < 005/Visibility < 1SM) Potential for significant crosswinds (>= 25 knots)Potential for significant crosswinds (>= 25 knots)
FAA Delay ProgramsFAA Delay Programs GDP – Ground Delay Program (> 2 hours)GDP – Ground Delay Program (> 2 hours)
Implemented when airport demand exceeds Implemented when airport demand exceeds airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a lengthy airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a lengthy period of time (IFR/LIFR, TS, Crosswinds)period of time (IFR/LIFR, TS, Crosswinds)
GS – Ground Stop (1-2 hours)GS – Ground Stop (1-2 hours) Implemented when airport demand exceedsImplemented when airport demand exceeds
airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a short airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a short period.period.
Prior to implementing a GDPPrior to implementing a GDP
When airport cannot accept aircraftWhen airport cannot accept aircraft
Playbook example: BNA
Playbook example: BYP 2
Playbook example: CQY
Fort Worth CWSU Homepage
End End Questions?Questions?