Automation—Some Potential Applications to Aviation Weather

Abstract

During the past decades, the life cycle of a weather observation, from the initial reading and recording of the sensor data to the final dissemination and use of the data, has remained virtually unchanged. It has been a slow and labor intensive process. With the increasing availability of low-cost and efficient minicomputers, it is now practical to apply automation to the routine taking and dissemination of the weather observation as well as other weather and aeronautical information. This paper gives an overview of some of the programs undertaken by the Federal Aviation Administration to apply automation to aviation weather.