Network Severe Weather Programme David White
Network Severe Weather programme Severe Weather is an EVENT with associated Uncertainty which requires Managing to protect the ATC environment & the integrity of flight schedules
Impact of Wx on Aviation. ATM capacity is constrained by weather. Aircraft are largely unconstrained by Wx. Influences A/C profiles are unpredictable in thunderstorms. Airport traffic separation increased. ATM strives for optimum performance but does manage the event. Met data is believed to be insufficiently mature to support decisions. Airlines fly in marginal conditions unaware of ATM constraints.
What is The Severe Weather Programme. The development of processes & procedures to efficiently manage capacity impacting Weather by: Anticipating. Planning Responses. Communicating. Information Sharing.
Why Develop a Severe Weather Procedure ECAC Directors of ATC Operations requested the development of procedures to ensure timely & coordinated ATM Network response to severe weather, following disruption & delay resulting from: The severe squall line that passed through Europe in 2008 The severe winter storms of 2010. The general increase in weather delays.
What do ANSP Directors require ATC to anticipate severe weather Enabling Network Uncertainty to be managed. In a fragmented ATM Environment
What do ANSPs Directors Require A process which anticipates & plans a response to an ATM Capacity impacting weather event to support : Efficient ATM operations. Safe ATM environment. ATM & customer collaboration. Efficient & cost effective customer operation. Collaborative event strategies. ( entry & recovery).
Why The Directors require a Network procedure Identified ATM Issues. NO collaborative advance ATM responses to severe wx. No secure monitoring of potential severe wx events. Inconsistent reactive management & impact awareness. Unprepared Customers. Loss of ATM efficiency & increase in ATC workload. No common procedure.
Eurocontrol have set the following Objectives Development of a robust SWX event Management process Provide Network awareness of swx from D-1. Focus on convective activity, major storms & CAT. Development of Monitoring capability & accountabilities. Lead Network actors in developing network handling strategies. Support ATC in developing collaborative handling strategies. Support ACC in developing communicating accountabilities. Re-enforce the use of tailored Met data & displays.
Severe Weather Management Process Development of entry & exit strategies Plan adjusted Based Wx & behaviours. D Ops. ACCs/NM monitor 4hr+ D-1 Severe wx assessment Coordinated Informed ATC/Network Response D-1Handling plan Published with measures NM wx assessment ANSP WX assessment NM/ANSP/Airlines wx/tfc assessment Met Provision Tailored Met Provision General Presentation 10
What Has been delivered i A Network severe weather trial with 6 ANSPs. NM team to provide a daily wx assessment. Developed access to a met support structure. Worked with ODSG & European Met Providers. Completed an ATC & ATFCM assessment of Vienna ACC. Published a Network Severe Wx Procedure Worked with Belgo Control to provide a model process. At the end of a second trial involving 90% of ANSPs
Definition of Capacity limiting Weather. No ICAO definition of capacity impacting weather Enroute ATC Operations in the ECAC Area Storm. Convective activity CAT FL290+ Airport Operations (limited airports) Storms. Convective activity. Strong winds: (>25kts and/or gusting >30kts) Visibility (<500m) / low cloud (200ft) Severe precipitation (rain; snow & icing)
ANSP Severe Weather assessment notification form. Date Time FMP FIR/ACC/APT/Sector WX Type Probability Risk ATM Strategy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 08 11 1400 1500 LFFFZX LFPG SN 40 R10 PTM Codes for weather type, Probability, Severity Risk and Traffic Management Strategy. Columns 5,6,7 Type of weather Phenomena Enroute Code Type of weather Phenomena at Airports Code Probability Code Severity Risk to ATC. (Capacity reduction) CB CBs CB CB 30% 0 Low RO CAT CAT CB Lightning TS 30% 30 10% R10 Code Snow/ice SN 40% 40 25% R25 Low Vis LV 50% or + R50 Strong Winds SW
A possible ECAC Wide view of severe weather.
Where are we in the Severe Weather Project ACCs reluctant to act on severe wx warnings. ACC reluctant to make capacity assessments. ANSP are not asking met providers for tailored met ACCs make late decisions on weather. Eurocontrol daily assessments 95% accurate. Pilots uploading met assessment into the cockpit
Tomorrow and Beyond We slowly observe The move to a holistic, cooperative and collaborative decision-making environment, where the diverging expectations and interests of all members of the Air Transport community are balanced to achieve equity, access and system efficiency as a result of managing as opposed to reacting to an event. You can influence the ATC environment
Severe Weather Presentation END Performance gains can be delivered in : Flight Efficiency. Schedule integrity ATM efficiency. Any Questions?