Aviation Weather Services At Key Aviation Facilities Lack Performance Measures But Improvement Efforts Are Under Way Congressional Testimony

Aviation weather : services at key aviation facilities lack performance measures, but improvement efforts are under way : testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, House Committee on Science and Technology

The Nat. Weather Service's (NWS) weather products are a vital component of the FAA¿s air traffic control system. In addition to providing aviation weather products developed at its own facilities, NWS also provides staff onsite at each of FAA's en route centers -- the facilities that control high-altitude flight outside the airport tower. FAA and NWS have been exploring options for enhancing the efficiency of the aviation weather services provided at en route centers. This is a summary of a draft report that: (1) determines the status and plans of efforts to restructure the center weather service units; (2) evaluates efforts to establish a baseline of the current performance provided by these units; and (3) evaluates challenges to restructuring them.

The National Weather Services (NWS) weather products are a vital component of the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) air traffic control system. In addition to providing aviation weather products developed at its own facilities, NWS also provides on-site staff at each of FAAs en route centersthe facilities that control high-altitude flight outside the airport tower and terminal areas. NWSs on-site staff is called a center weather service unit. For several years, NWS and FAA have been exploring options for improving the aviation weather services provided at en route centers.GAO agreed to (1) determine the status of the agencies efforts to restructure aviation weather services, (2) assess the agencies progress in establishing performance baselines in order to measure the effect of any changes, and (3) evaluate plans to address key challenges. To do so, GAO evaluated agency progress and plans and compared agency efforts with leading practices.

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. The National Weather Service's (NWS) weather products are a vital component of the FAA¿s air traffic control system. In addition to providing aviation weather products developed at its own facilities, NWS also provides on-site staff at each of FAA's en route centers -- the facilities that control high-altitude flight outside the airport tower and terminal areas. NWS and FAA have been exploring options for improving the aviation weather services provided at en route centers. This report: (1) determines the status of the agencies' efforts to restructure aviation weather services; (2) assesses the agencies' progress in establishing performance baselines in order to measure the effect of any changes; and (3) evaluates plans to address key challenges. Ill.