Aviation Weather ServiceAviation Weather Service at the at the

Hong Kong International AirportHong Kong International Airport

Director of Hong Kong Observatory

Development, Research and Administration

Forecasting and Warning Services

Radiation Monitoring and Assessment

Aviation Weather Services

Aviation Forecasting Techniques

and Services

Aviation Forecast Systems

Windshear and

Turbulence Alerting

Aviation Weather Services

Aviation Meteorological Instrument and

Observation

Radar and

Satellite Meteoro

logy

Airport Meteorological

Office

History of AMO History of AMO

•• Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)•• since 1937since 1937•• weather services for aviationweather services for aviation•• aviation bulletin compilation & data exchangeaviation bulletin compilation & data exchange•• ICAOICAO

–– Annex 3, ANP, ROBEX HandbookAnnex 3, ANP, ROBEX Handbook•• 24 hours (3 shifts)/day24 hours (3 shifts)/day•• Manpower reduced to 4 per shift (3 at night)Manpower reduced to 4 per shift (3 at night)

•• HKO: designated Meteorological Authority HKO: designated Meteorological Authority in HK to provide met. facilities & services in HK to provide met. facilities & services for international air navigation within the for international air navigation within the framework of ICAO.framework of ICAO.

Weather services for aviationWeather services for aviation

•• ForecastsForecasts–– TAFTAF–– TrendTrend–– TakeTake--off conditionsoff conditions–– 100100--n. miles radius Aviation F/Cn. miles radius Aviation F/C–– ROFORsROFORs–– Search and Rescue forecastsSearch and Rescue forecasts–– Sig. Weather ChartsSig. Weather Charts–– Wind and Temperature chartsWind and Temperature charts

Weather services for aviation (Weather services for aviation (concon’’tt))

•• WarningsWarnings–– SIGMETs SIGMETs

•• Thunderstorm, CATThunderstorm, CAT•• Tropical cycloneTropical cyclone•• Volcanic ashVolcanic ash

–– Aerodrome warningsAerodrome warnings•• ThunderstormsThunderstorms•• Strong WindStrong Wind•• Tropical cyclone warningsTropical cyclone warnings

–– Windshear and turbulenceWindshear and turbulence

Met. services for pilotsMet. services for pilots

•• Flight documentationFlight documentation•• Dissemination: AMIDS, facsimileDissemination: AMIDS, facsimile•• Information suppliedInformation supplied

–– TAF bulletinTAF bulletin–– METAR bulletinMETAR bulletin–– SIGMET bulletinSIGMET bulletin–– Sig. Wx. ChartSig. Wx. Chart–– Wind/Temp. chartWind/Temp. chart

Met.Met. Service for pilots (Service for pilots (concon’’tt))

•• Weather briefing & debriefingWeather briefing & debriefing•• Information for a/c in flightInformation for a/c in flight

–– VOLMET, DVOLMET, D--VOLMETVOLMET–– ATIS, DATIS, D--ATISATIS

•• NowcastingNowcasting•• Warnings for low level windshear and Warnings for low level windshear and

turbulenceturbulence

Airport Meteorological OfficeAirport Meteorological Office•• Aerodrome ForecastAerodrome Forecast (24(24--

hr TAF, 9hr TAF, 9--hr TAF, hr TAF, TakeoffTakeoff))•• WarningWarning

((SIGMET,SIGMET,AerodromeAerodrome Warning, Warning, WindshearWindshear Warning)Warning)

•• Significant weather chartSignificant weather chart

•• Aerodrome Forecast Aerodrome Forecast ((99--hrhr TAF)TAF)

•• 100100--nmnm ForecastForecast•• Significant weather Significant weather

chartchart•• Provisional ForecastProvisional Forecast

Officer in Charge

Chief Experimental

Officer

Forecaster

Scientific Officer

AssistantForecaster

Observer

Weather ServiceOfficer

Airport Meteorological OfficeAirport Meteorological Office

•• ObservsationObservsation and and disseminationdissemination•• Preparing Flight Preparing Flight

DocumentationDocumentation•• System Operation and System Operation and

MaintenanceMaintenance•• Data backup and archiveData backup and archive•• Assist ObserverAssist Observer

Officer in Charge

Chief Experimental

Officer

Forecaster

Scientific Officer

AssistantForecaster

Observer

Weather ServiceOfficer

Major Meteorological SystemsMajor Meteorological Systems

•• Terminal Doppler Weather Terminal Doppler Weather RadarRadar

•• WindshearWindshear and Turbulence and Turbulence Warning SystemWarning System

•• LIDARLIDAR•• Aerodrome Meteorological Aerodrome Meteorological

Observing SystemObserving System•• Wind ProfilersWind Profilers•• Meteorological Data Processing Meteorological Data Processing

SystemSystem

Windshear Windshear and and turbulenceturbulence

VisibilityVisibility

����LIDAR

Sensor SuiteSensor Suite

Weather Buoys

Automatic WeatherStations over Lantau

TDWR

LIDAR

Terminal Doppler Weather RadarTerminal Doppler Weather Radar•Standard, FAA-approved, operational system (47 in USA)•Proven algorithms for windshear arising from thunderstorms and microburst

TDWR productsTDWR products

Doppler LIDARDoppler LIDAR

•• Supported by users such as Supported by users such as CAD and IFALPACAD and IFALPA

•• Implemented in July 2002 to Implemented in July 2002 to complement TDWRcomplement TDWR

Area of coverageArea of coverage

Typical Scanning StrategyTypical Scanning Strategy

6-degree glide paths

3-degree glide path

6-degree glide paths

3-degree glide path

LIDAR Beams at 1.0, 1.8 & 4.5 degrees

3 NM 3 NM

Wind ProfilerWind Profiler

Useful for measuring upper Useful for measuring upper windswinds

Weather BuoyWeather Buoy•• Improved forecasting rule in Improved forecasting rule in

detecting windshear due to detecting windshear due to sea breezesea breeze

•• Strategic position to capture Strategic position to capture terrainterrain--induced disturbances induced disturbances caused by Lantaucaused by Lantau

Aerodrome Meteorological Aerodrome Meteorological Observing System (AMOS)Observing System (AMOS)

Extra sensorsExtra sensors

••

Forward scatter Forward scatter meters alongside meters alongside RVRsRVRs

••

Ceilometers Ceilometers

Polar orbiting satellitePolar orbiting satellite

•• 11 Jan 200211 Jan 2002•• mist formed mist formed

over the over the western coast western coast of Guangdong of Guangdong and extended and extended eastwardseastwards

MODISMODIS SatelliteSatellite

True colour False colourCh 26,2,1 Mist (blue area)

0550Z 19 August 2004

AMIDSAMIDS

•Dedicated network server

•Introduced broadband access in July 2000

•Introduced new products to meet user requirements

Broadband AMIDS

Broadband Internet

Connection

Method of Connection

10Mbps

56Kbps

Data integrity & securityData integrity & security

•• Digital certDigital cert•• passwordpassword•• firewallfirewall•• intrusion detectionintrusion detection•• regular ground check by operator, 24 hourregular ground check by operator, 24 hour•• security auditsecurity audit

PROG SIGWX CHART : PROG SIGWX CHART : CHINA / SE ASIA CHINA / SE ASIA [FL100[FL100--250]250]

Regular updated takeRegular updated take--off off forecastforecast

••

complex wind complex wind pattern due to pattern due to neighbouringneighbouring

hills hills

and seaand sea

••

HalfHalf--hourly update hourly update to our taketo our take--off off forecastforecast

ISO certification ISO certification –– Oct 2002Oct 2002

Custom

er - Requirem

ents

Custom

er - Satisfaction Continual Improvement

Productrealization Product

Managementresponsibility

- Management review

Resources-infrastructure,

training

Measurement- Internal audit, customer survey

Input

Output

Customer -------------------- AMO -------------------- Customer

Thank YouThank You

Any Questions?Any Questions?

Yearly Performance of Windshear Alerts Issued by HKO(POD)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1998* (from 6 July ) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 (up to end of Jun)

Perc

enta

ge

POD

Annual SurveysAnnual Surveys•• Started many years ago to gauge customer Started many years ago to gauge customer

opinionopinion

•• 2005 survey conducted in April2005 survey conducted in April

•• 98% of service & product items 98% of service & product items -- Satisfied, very Satisfied, very

satisfied, accurate or very accurate satisfied, accurate or very accurate

•• 28% of service & product items 28% of service & product items -- ‘‘Very accurateVery accurate’’ and and ‘‘Very satisfiedVery satisfied’’

• 86% considered our performance as better compared with a few years ago.

Annual Survey ResultAnnual Survey Result

TAF VerificationTAF Verification•• Based on Annex 3 Operationally Desirable AccuracyBased on Annex 3 Operationally Desirable Accuracy

Arrangements with Airport Arrangements with Airport Emergency Centre (AEC)Emergency Centre (AEC)•• Over 30 AMIDS Over 30 AMIDS

accounts for AAaccounts for AA

•• Under severe Under severe weather provide weather provide updates through updates through hotlinehotline

•• Endeavour to attend Endeavour to attend AEC coAEC co--ordination ordination meetingmeeting

Weather Information to PassengersWeather Information to Passengers•• Present Present -- city forecast city forecast •• Future Future –– city forecast, aerodrome forecast city forecast, aerodrome forecast

and local weather information on MMIB, and local weather information on MMIB, FIDS, checkFIDS, check--in monitor and gate monitorin monitor and gate monitorAA is planning video AA is planning video

conference facility with HKOconference facility with HKOHKO HKO endeavoursendeavours to attendto attend

media briefingmedia briefing

News bulletin for the Aviation CommunityNews bulletin for the Aviation Community

NewsletterNewsletter for the aviation communityfor the aviation community

Aviation Sport Aviation Sport –– Thermal IndexThermal Index

Aviation Sport Aviation Sport –– Soaring IndexSoaring Index