EAA Triple Five Flier EAA Triple Five Flier Newsletter | Page 6

Pilots will still see any PIREPS entered into the system by ATC or Flight Service, but the database will also show AIREPs. An AIREP is a PIREP in ICAO format that has been automatically entered by equipment onboard an aircraft. The information gives the lat/long of the aircraft and its flight level along with temperature, wind, and turbulence data. Instead of UA you will see ARP and UUA (urgent reports) will be encoded as ARS. The Space Weather Prediction Center will be analyzing weather and processes occurring in the Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere. Solar flares, geomagnetic storms and radiation levels can affect GPS navigation and communications. Reports and advisories will describe current ad expected activity and possible impacts on the Earth’s environment. The Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) tool will display weather conditions for short-distance and low-altitude flights. The tool uses radar, wind and satellite data in such a way as to narrow the forecasts to smaller areas. Finally, the NWS has now joined all the other aviation weather briefing sites by allowing a pilot to overlay his flight path on these weather charts using the Flight Path Tool. Try out the NWS’s new graphical weather charts on their website: www.aviationweather.gov. You can find AC 00-45H in PDF format here: http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/ rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/571BA1B422ABDF6D8625806D006CCC8E? OpenDocument&Highlight=ac 00-45h Rose Marie Kern has been working in the field of ATC and Aviation Weather for over 33 years. You can send comments and questions to her at [email protected] PS I’d like to take a moment here and mention that over the past eleven years I have had many pilots (and editors) mention that the information I give is very useful, and they wish they could have it all in one place. As of December my book, Air to Ground, will be released. It is an anthology of the articles about Air Traffic Control and Aviation Weather I have written through this time which are still relevant. In addition to those of you with years of experience, it is a good reference for students and handy for CFII’s! For more information please visit my website: www.rosemariekern.com 6