Aviation Weather Services

2. FAA terminal Doppler weather radar (TDWR), recordings of meteorological and aeronautical information. installed at some major airports around the country, TIBS provides area and route briefings, airspace procedures, also aids in providing severe weather alerts and and special announcements. The recordings are automatically warnings to ATC. Terminal radar ensures pilots updated as changes occur. It is designed to be a preliminary are aware of wind shear, gust fronts, and heavy briefing tool and is not intended to replace a standard briefing precipitation, all of which are dangerous to arriving from a FSS specialist. The TIBS service can only be accessed and departing aircraft. by a touchtone phone. The phone numbers for the TIBS service are listed in the Chart Supplement U.S. (formerly 3. The third type of radar commonly used in the detection Airport/Facility Directory). of precipitation is the FAA airport surveillance radar. This radar is used primarily to detect aircraft, but it Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service also detects the location and intensity of precipitation, (HIWAS) which is used to route aircraft traffic around severe Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service (HIWAS), weather in an airport environment. available in the 48 conterminous states, is an automated 4. Airborne radar is equipment carried by aircraft to continuous broadcast of hazardous weather information locate weather disturbances. The airborne radars over selected VOR navigational aids (NAVAIDs). The generally operate in the C or X bands (around 6 broadcasts include advisories such as AIRMETS, SIGMETS, GHz or around 10 GHz, respectively) permitting convective SIGMETS, and urgent PIREPs. The broadcasts both penetration of heavy precipitation, required for are automatically updated as changes occur. Pilots should determining the extent of thunderstorms, and sufficient contact a FSS or EFAS for additional information. VORs that reflection from less intense precipitation. have HIWAS capability are depicted on aeronautical charts with an “H” in the upper right corner of the identification Satellite box. [Figure 13-4] Advancement in satellite technologies has recently allowed for commercial use to include weather uplinks. Through the Transcribed Weather Broadcast (TWEB) (Alaska use of satellite subscription services, individuals are now able Only) to receive satellite transmitted signals that provide near real- A continuous automated broadcast of meteorological and time weather information for the North American continent. aeronautical data over selected low or medium frequency (L/ MF) and very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range Service Outlets (VOR) NAVAID facilities. The broadcasts are automatically updated as changes occur. The broadcast contains adverse Service outlets are government, government contract, or conditions, surface weather observations, PIREPS, and private facilities that provide aviation weather services. Several a density altitude statement (if applicable). Recordings different government agencies, including the FAA, National may also include a synopsis, winds aloft forecast, en route Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the and terminal forecast data, and radar reports. At selected NWS work in conjunction with private aviation companies locations, telephone access to the TWEB has been provided to provide different means of accessing weather information. (TEL-TWEB). Telephone numbers for this service are found Flight Service Station (FSS) The FSS is the primary source for preflight weather information. A preflight weather briefing from an FSS can be obtained 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-WX BRIEF from anywhere in the United States and Puerto Rico. Telephone numbers for FSS can be found in the Chart Supplement U.S. (formerly Airport/Facility Directory) or in the United States Government section of the telephone book. The FSS also provides inflight weather briefing services and weather advisories to flights within the FSS area of responsibility. Telephone Information Briefing Service (TIBS) Symbol indicates HIWAS The Telephone Information Briefing Service (TIBS), provided by FSS, is a system of automated telephone Figure 13-4. HIWAS availability is shown on sectional chart. 13-4