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