Aviation Professional Development Series

• PCU 3: Provide Aviation Weather Information and Services - DRAFT

  Description of Job Duty Competency to be Achieved:
  
  Forecasters produce timely, accurate and consistent (spatially and temporally) forecasts. These forecasts must maintain meteorological integrity across boundaries of the area of responsibility. Forecasts of meteorological parameters and phenomena are prepared using production tools (i.e., AvnFPS, IC4D, WARP, N-AWIPS, etc.) and issued in accordance with documented requirements (such as various NWS Directives and ICAO ANNEX 3), priorities and deadlines.
  
  Description of Need:
  
  The Aviation community is often exposed to rapidly changing weather conditions that impact safety and efficiency. Aviation warnings, watches, advisories, information and services must be effectual for aviation user decision making. This must include the weather conditions temporal and spatial extent, onset /cessation, duration and intensity.

  • Ability to produce NWS Weather Forecast Office aviation products.
    • Ability 1. Create and disseminate text products including TAF, AWW, etc.
      • Skill 1.1. Use operational systems (e.g. AWIPS, AVNFPS)
        • Office - SOP, On the Job Training - Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • 1.1.2 AWIPS Jobsheets
      • Skill 1.2. Produce effective TAF
        • DLAC2 - Writing TAFs for Ceilings and Visibility, Convective Weather, Winds and LLWS, and Winter Weather
        • OCCWS - Determining Categorical Amendment Criteria
        • OCCWS - Introduction to Categorical Amendment Criteria
        • NWSTC - Introduction to TAF Verification
        • NWSTC - NWS Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF)
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • DLAC 2: Producing Customer-Focused TAFs (COMET)
          • DLAC 2: Basic Terminal Forecast Strategies (COMET)
          • DLAC 2: Writing TAFs for Convective Weather (COMET)
          • DLAC 2: Writing TAFs for Winds and LLWS (COMET)
          • DLAC 2: Writing TAFs for Winter Weather (COMET)
          • DLAC 2: Writing TAFs for Ceiling and Visibility (COMET)
        • WDTB CWSU-ATC Training Library: Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) (convert to Articulate?) (Expected Release May 2013; Requires NOAA LDAP login/password) (70 min)
        • OCWWS - Training and Presentations: Meteorology: TAF Writing
        • NWSTC - Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts
      • Skill 1.3. Produce effective AWW
        • IC 1.3.1 DIRECTIVE - Refer to NWSI 10-801 for product information/training
        • Office - SOP, On the Job Training - Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
      • Skill 1.4. Knowledge of NWS Directives
        • NWSI 10-801 Airport Weather Warnings
        • NWSI 10-813 Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs)
    • Ability 2. Create and disseminate Aviation Forecast Discussion
      • Skill 2.1. Produce effective AFD
        • NWSI 10-503 Area Forecast Discussion Specifications
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
      • Skill 2.2. Write an effective Aviation Forecast Discussion (AFD)
        • NWSI 10-503 Area Forecast Discussion Specifications
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
  • Ability to produce CWSU products.
    • Ability 3. Create and disseminate text products including MIS, CWA, etc.
      • Skill 3.1. Interpret NWP data, Monitor and interpret surface based and remote sensing observations.
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • VISIT - Interpreting Satellite Signatures
        • COMET - NWP modules
        • OFCM - FMH #1 Surface Observations
      • Skill 3.2. WDTB CWSU-ATC
      • Skill 3.3. Use of WARP, AISR, ARD, Google CWA and other tools as they are developed and fielded
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • Office - Formal documentation/instruction on the use of WARP, AISR, ARD, Google CWA and other tools
      • Skill 3.4. Knowledge of NWS Directives
        • NWSI 10-803 Support to Air Traffic Control Facilities
    • Ability 4. Entering urgent PIREPS into NWS & FAA comms system
      • Skill 4.1. Translate PIREP information in coded format
        • WTDB - CWSU Operations
        • FMH #12 - PIREP section
        • WDTB's CWSU-ATC Training Library (converted to Articulates?) (for internal use by NWS and FAA only)
          • Pilot Weather Report (PIREP) (requires NOAA LDAP login/password) (to be released OCT 2012) (60 min)
        • NWS/FAA Aviation Weather Services (AC 00-45)
        • Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) PIREPs help page
    • Ability 5. Create and disseminate aviation weather graphic products including TDAs, significant weather, etc.
      • Skill 5.1. Knowledge of the tools necessary to create graphical aviation products.
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • Office - SOPs to describe formal instruction on the use of tools to create aviation graphics
      • Skill 5.2. Ensure the graphical products are consistent in both space and time with the text products
        • Practice Quality Control Procedures
        • Office - SOP, On the Job Training - Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
      • Skill 5.3. See PCU 1 & 2
    • Ability 6. Prepare for Stand Up Weather Briefings
      • Skill 6.1. See Skill 3.3 and PCUs 1 and 4
  • Ability to produce Meteorological Watch Office products.
    • Ability 7. Create and disseminate text products including AIRMET, SIGMET, etc.
      • Skill 7.1. IC4D, N-AWIPS, AWIPS-II, NMAP, etc.
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • Office - Documentation/instructional material (SOPs) on IC4D, N-AWIPS, AWIPS II and NMAP
      • Skill 7.2. Knowledge of NWS Directives
        • NWSI 10-807 International Service Agreements
        • NWSI 10-811 Enroute Forecasts and Advisories
    • Ability 8. Create and disseminate Area Forecasts
      • Skill 8.1. Assimilate and process meteorological data for large geographical areas and produce succinct forecasts
        • Office - On the Job Training - SOP, Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
        • VISIT - Interpreting Satellite Signatures
      • Skill 8.2. Knowledge of NWS Directives
        • NWSI 10-811 Enroute Forecasts and Advisories
    • Ability 9. Create aviation weather graphics
      • Skill 9.1. Knowledge of the tools necessary to create graphical aviation products.
        • Office - SOP, On the Job Training - Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
      • Skill 9.2. Ensure the graphical products are consistent in both space and time with the text products
        • Practice Quality Control Procedures
        • Office - SOP, On the Job Training - Shadowing, Proficiency Checklist
      • Skill 9.3. NMAP, IC4D, WARP tools
        • NMAP tools for creating graphics
          • CCFP
          • CONUS/OCONUS AIRMETs
          • CONUS/OCONUS SIGMETs
          • International SIGMETs
          • Significant Weather Graphics
            • High level global
            • Mid level over North Atlantic
            • Low level over CONUS/OCONUS
        • IC4D generated graphics
        • WARP generated graphics
        • Web generated graphics

          Some CWSUs can generate products through a web interface.