National Weather Service National Weather Service FAA AcademyFAA Academy

Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma City, OK

National Weather Service National Weather Service FAA AcademyFAA Academy

Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma City, OK

The National Weather Service Office at the FAA Academy

The National Weather Service Office at the FAA Academy

Robert A. Prentice - Meteorologist Instructor

Who Are We?Who Are We?Who Are We?Who Are We?

7 NWS Employees7 NWS Employees• Meteorologist-in-Charge Meteorologist-in-Charge

• Administrative Support Asst.Administrative Support Asst.

• 5 Meteorologist Instructors5 Meteorologist Instructors

Funded by Federal Aviation Administration Funded by Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA) via Memorandum of Understanding (FAA) via Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU) (MOU)

MMACMMAC Organizational Chart Organizational ChartMMACMMAC Organizational Chart Organizational ChartUp to 6000 people when classes are in session

We are here

“The mission of the National Weather Service (NWS) Office at the FAA Academy is to provide weather training for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Controllers, write reference materials, and administer NWS Certification examinations for FAA (and Lockheed Martin) Pilot Weather Briefers and Tower Visibility Observers.”

“The mission of the National Weather Service (NWS) Office at the FAA Academy is to provide weather training for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Controllers, write reference materials, and administer NWS Certification examinations for FAA (and Lockheed Martin) Pilot Weather Briefers and Tower Visibility Observers.”

“Keeping pilots out of harms way”

What is Our Mission?What is Our Mission?What is Our Mission?What is Our Mission?

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Classroom TrainingClassroom Training What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Classroom TrainingClassroom Training

Teach FAA Academy Residence CoursesTeach FAA Academy Residence Courses• Air Traffic Basics (26 hours of weather training)Air Traffic Basics (26 hours of weather training)• Initial Terminal Training (4 hours of Tower Visibility)Initial Terminal Training (4 hours of Tower Visibility)

* We train entry-level controllers. We * We train entry-level controllers. We do not do not train pilot weather train pilot weather briefers – Lockheed Martin and The University of Alaska do thatbriefers – Lockheed Martin and The University of Alaska do that

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – New Course for En Route ControllersNew Course for En Route Controllers

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – New Course for En Route ControllersNew Course for En Route Controllers

On-going collaboration between the FAA Air On-going collaboration between the FAA Air Traffic Training Division and NWS/FAA Traffic Training Division and NWS/FAA AcademyAcademy

Plan/outline completed…content work underwayPlan/outline completed…content work underway

Application of pertinent weather information to Application of pertinent weather information to en route Air Traffic Control decision-makingen route Air Traffic Control decision-making

Focus on en route hazards (e.g., thunderstorms, Focus on en route hazards (e.g., thunderstorms, turbulence, icing)turbulence, icing)

Scenarios will be includedScenarios will be included

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Computer-Based Training CoursesComputer-Based Training Courses

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Computer-Based Training CoursesComputer-Based Training Courses

Subject-matter experts for FAA (and NWS) Subject-matter experts for FAA (and NWS) Computer-Based Training (CBT) courses:Computer-Based Training (CBT) courses:

• Basic Aviation WeatherBasic Aviation Weather

• Weather Graphics InterpretationWeather Graphics Interpretation

• Adverse WeatherAdverse Weather

• Low-Level Wind Shear/Microburst AlertsLow-Level Wind Shear/Microburst Alerts

• WSR-88D Radar Image InterpretationWSR-88D Radar Image Interpretation

• Weather Satellite Data InterpretationWeather Satellite Data Interpretation

• Distance Learning Aviation Course (DLAC) (NWS)Distance Learning Aviation Course (DLAC) (NWS)

What Do We Do? – Pilot Weather What Do We Do? – Pilot Weather Briefer CertificationBriefer Certification

What Do We Do? – Pilot Weather What Do We Do? – Pilot Weather Briefer CertificationBriefer Certification

We issue a "Certificate of Authority for Pilot Weather We issue a "Certificate of Authority for Pilot Weather Briefing" when a briefer candidate successfully passes all Briefing" when a briefer candidate successfully passes all of the following pre-flight pilot weather briefer (PWB) of the following pre-flight pilot weather briefer (PWB) certification examinations: certification examinations:

1. Weather Analysis (online)1. Weather Analysis (online)

2. Satellite (online)2. Satellite (online)

3. WSR-88D Weather Radar (online)3. WSR-88D Weather Radar (online)

4. Oral Pilot Weather Briefing Practical (phone)4. Oral Pilot Weather Briefing Practical (phone)

• Random/scheduled Pre-Flight Oral PWB Proficiency Checks Random/scheduled Pre-Flight Oral PWB Proficiency Checks (phone)(phone)

• HNL International Oral PWB Proficiency Checks (phone)HNL International Oral PWB Proficiency Checks (phone)

What Do We Do? –What Do We Do? –En Route Flight Advisory Service En Route Flight Advisory Service

(EFAS) Certification(EFAS) Certification

What Do We Do? –What Do We Do? –En Route Flight Advisory Service En Route Flight Advisory Service

(EFAS) Certification(EFAS) Certification We issue an En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) We issue an En Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS)

Pilot Weather Briefing Certificate when briefer candidate Pilot Weather Briefing Certificate when briefer candidate successfully passes of the following certification successfully passes of the following certification examinations: examinations:

1. EFAS Written Certification Test (online)1. EFAS Written Certification Test (online)

2. Oral EFAS Practical (phone)2. Oral EFAS Practical (phone)

• Random EFAS proficiency checks (phone)Random EFAS proficiency checks (phone)

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Tower Visibility CertificationTower Visibility Certification

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Tower Visibility CertificationTower Visibility Certification

We also issue a “Tower Visibility Observers Certificate” We also issue a “Tower Visibility Observers Certificate” to those personnel involved with augmenting surface to those personnel involved with augmenting surface observations when they successfully pass the following observations when they successfully pass the following certification examination:certification examination:

1. Tower Visibility (online)1. Tower Visibility (online)

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Maintain NWS Certification DatabasesMaintain NWS Certification Databases

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Maintain NWS Certification DatabasesMaintain NWS Certification Databases

Pilot Weather Briefer (850+)Pilot Weather Briefer (850+) Pre-flight and EFASPre-flight and EFAS

Tower Visibility (~1000)Tower Visibility (~1000)

Note: Databases are located on a secure server at NWS Southern Region Headquarters in Fort Worth, TX

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Write Reference MaterialsWrite Reference Materials

What Do We Do? – What Do We Do? – Write Reference MaterialsWrite Reference Materials

NWS Instruction 10-809 “Support to the NWS Instruction 10-809 “Support to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Pilot Federal Aviation Administration’s Pilot Weather Briefer Program.”Weather Briefer Program.”

• Review other NWS aviation weather directivesReview other NWS aviation weather directives

FAA/NWS Advisory Circular “Aviation FAA/NWS Advisory Circular “Aviation Weather Services” (AC 00-45)Weather Services” (AC 00-45)

FAA/NWS Advisory Circular “Aviation FAA/NWS Advisory Circular “Aviation Weather: For Pilots and Flight Operations Weather: For Pilots and Flight Operations Personnel” (AC 00-6)Personnel” (AC 00-6)

What Do We Do? – Flight Service What Do We Do? – Flight Service Station Site Evaluation VisitsStation Site Evaluation Visits

What Do We Do? – Flight Service What Do We Do? – Flight Service Station Site Evaluation VisitsStation Site Evaluation Visits

Lockheed Martin

Hub Facility

Closing Feb

2009

What Do We Do? – Flight Service What Do We Do? – Flight Service Station Site Evaluation VisitsStation Site Evaluation Visits

What Do We Do? – Flight Service What Do We Do? – Flight Service Station Site Evaluation VisitsStation Site Evaluation Visits

Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA)

Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS)

Flight Service Station (FSS)

Typically scheduled 1-4 weeks ahead of timeTypically scheduled 1-4 weeks ahead of time We perform 2 per dayWe perform 2 per day

• 3 per day during heavy periods and if workload permits3 per day during heavy periods and if workload permits

Each takes ~ 3 hoursEach takes ~ 3 hours Briefer candidate workstationBriefer candidate workstation

NWS/FAA AcademyNWS/FAA Academy Oral Pilot Weather Briefing Evaluations Oral Pilot Weather Briefing Evaluations

NWS/FAA AcademyNWS/FAA Academy Oral Pilot Weather Briefing Evaluations Oral Pilot Weather Briefing Evaluations

FS-21FS-21 OASISOASIS

Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin FAAFAA

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/faa/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/faa/

Robert A. PrenticeNWS, W/SR64

Building 30, Room 1076500 S. MacArthur Blvd

Oklahoma City, OK 73169-6901Robert.A.Prentice@noaa.gov

(405) 954-6866