Tactical Decision Aids In use at Fort Worth CWSU James Ott

Tactical Decision Aids  Define  FTW ARTCC Description of FTW ARTCCDescription of FTW ARTCC  Types of TDAs used at FTW CWSU TRACONTRACON ARTCCARTCC  Forecaster produced  Automated by PACE  Forecast Tools

Tactical Decision Aids Defined  Graphical forecast of elements useful to FAA Traffic Management, supervisors and dispatchers  Timeline format  Forecast Elements can be categorical or probabilistic

Tactical Decision Aids (TDA)  Define  ZFW ARTCC Description of ZFW airspaceDescription of ZFW airspace  Types of TDAs used at FTW CWSU TRACONTRACON ARTCCARTCC  Forecaster produced  Automated  Forecast Tools

Fort Worth ARTCC Major air traffic corridors/routes: North-south traffic from IAH-ORD and IAH-DEN as well as others East-west traffic across the southern US DFW arrivals/departures

DFW TRACON with Air traffic FTW ARTCC Arrival Cornerposts UKW Bowie BYP Bonham JEN Glenrose CQY Cedar Creek

DFW TRACON with Air traffic Arrival Depart DFW Arrival/Departure Routes

Tactical Decision Aids (TDA)  Define  FTW ARTCC Description of FTW ARTCCDescription of FTW ARTCC  Types of TDAs used at FTW CWSU TRACONTRACON ARTCCARTCC  Forecaster produced  Automated by PACE  Forecast Tools

Types of TDAs  DFW TRACON (in use since late 90’s) Ceilings and visibilitiesCeilings and visibilities Wind - north or south flow or crosswindWind - north or south flow or crosswind Precipitation type/coveragePrecipitation type/coverage Timeline forecast through 9 hoursTimeline forecast through 9 hours Updated every 3-6 hoursUpdated every 3-6 hours

Types of TDAs  ARTCC Arrival and departure gate sectors (UKW, BYP,CQY, JEN) TS coverageTS coverage Timeline forecast through 6 hoursTimeline forecast through 6 hours Updated every 3-6 hoursUpdated every 3-6 hours

Elements to TRACON TDA  Ceilings/Visibilities VFR >= 3000 ft; > 5 miVFR >= 3000 ft; > 5 mi MVFR ft; 3 – 5 miMVFR ft; 3 – 5 mi IFR 500 – 1000 ft; 1 – 3 miIFR 500 – 1000 ft; 1 – 3 mi LIFR < 500 ft ; < 1 miLIFR < 500 ft ; < 1 mi  Winds North flowNorth flow South flowSouth flow Crosswinds ktsCrosswinds kts  Precipitation TypeType  TS SH RA SN etc. Probability/CoverageProbability/Coverage  Few – VC - Prob30/40 - Tempo

TRACON TDA Forecast Tools  Current METARs  Current TAF  Crosswind calculations Via FTW CWSU web siteVia FTW CWSU web site  Precipitation forecast Various sourcesVarious sources  ITWS, PACE, NCWF6, Auto Nowcaster

Ex G40

Tactical Decision Aids (TDA)  Define  ZFW ARTCC Airspace 101 (short version)Airspace 101 (short version)  Types of TDAs used at FTW CWSU TRACONTRACON ARTCCARTCC  Forecaster produced  Automated by PACE  Forecast Tools

Elements to Arrival/Departure Gate Sector TDA (Forecaster)  Precipitation (TS) Coverage Open - < 30%Open - < 30% Marginal %Marginal % Impacted >70%Impacted >70%

For continuous updates go to Data from PACE

Tactical Decision Aids (TDA)  Define  ZFW ARTCC Description of ZFW airspaceDescription of ZFW airspace  Types of TDAs used at FTW CWSU TRACONTRACON ARTCCARTCC  Forecaster produced  Automated  Forecast Tools

Arrival/Departure Gate Sector TDA Forecast Tools  Convective Forecasting NEXRADNEXRAD Auto Nowcaster – Thunderstorm initiation toolAuto Nowcaster – Thunderstorm initiation tool TCWF – Terminal Convective Weather Forecast (ITWS)TCWF – Terminal Convective Weather Forecast (ITWS)  0-1 hour PACE - Prototype Aviation Collaborative EffortPACE - Prototype Aviation Collaborative Effort  0-2 hours NCWF6 - National Convective Weather ForecastNCWF6 - National Convective Weather Forecast  0-6 hours CCFP – Collaborate Convective Forecast ProductCCFP – Collaborate Convective Forecast Product  0-6 hours

WARP NEXRAD

WARP NEXRAD Mosaic  Advantages Primary display available to ATCPrimary display available to ATC Displays TS and jet routes/sectorsDisplays TS and jet routes/sectors AnimationAnimation  Disadvantages No calculations or forecast other than CCFPNo calculations or forecast other than CCFP  Closed system- Cannot import products from other sourcesCannot import products from other sources

Auto Nowcaster  Displays Convective Threat 1 hour in advance1 hour in advance  User input required from local WFO Type of airmass regimeType of airmass regime  Cold front, Dryline, No TS, Dvlpg Ts, Stnry Fnt, Advect, Mxd boundaries, regions, polygonsboundaries, regions, polygons  Nudge up/down

ITWS (Integrated Terminal Weather System)  Integrates several radar systems Six radars (1) NEXRAD (2) TDWRs (3) ASR-9s  TCWF – (Terminal Convective Weather Forecast) 0 – 1 hour location of precipitation0 – 1 hour location of precipitation VIL intensityVIL intensity

PACE (Prototype Aviation Collaborative Effort)  Displays current significant thunderstorm activity  Significant thunderstorms VIL intensityVIL intensity LightningLightning Echo tops > 15,000 ft.Echo tops > 15,000 ft.  Incorporates NCWF2 forecast (0-2 hr.)

PACE (Prototype Aviation Collaborative Effort)  Plan View TS forecast 30, 60, 90 and 120 min.TS forecast 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Updated every 5 minutesUpdated every 5 minutes  Timeline display 0-2 hr. at 5 min. intervals0-2 hr. at 5 min. intervals Threat boxes indicate TS within 10 nm.Threat boxes indicate TS within 10 nm.  Major jet routes  Arrival and departure gates  Algorithms currrently very simplistic

NCWF-6 (National Convective Weather Forecast-6 hours)  Displays current and forecast significant thunderstorm activity Significant thunderstormsSignificant thunderstorms  VIL intensity  Lightning  Echo tops > ft.  Displays forecast of activity (0-6hrs.) Threat probabilityThreat probability

CCFP

Arrival/Departure Gate Sector TDA Forecast Tools  Convective Forecasting NEXRADNEXRAD Auto-Nowcaster – Thunderstorm initiation toolAuto-Nowcaster – Thunderstorm initiation tool TCWF – Terminal Convective Weather Forecast (ITWS)TCWF – Terminal Convective Weather Forecast (ITWS)  0-1 hour PACE - Prototype Aviation Collaborative EffortPACE - Prototype Aviation Collaborative Effort  0-2 hours NCWF-6 - National Convective Weather ForecastNCWF-6 - National Convective Weather Forecast  0-6 hours CCFP – Collaborate Convective Forecast ProductCCFP – Collaborate Convective Forecast Product  2-6 hours

Product Development  PACE Earth System Research Lab/Global Systems Division - Greg PrattEarth System Research Lab/Global Systems Division - Greg Pratt  NCWF6 National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) - Dr. James PintoNational Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) - Dr. James Pinto   Auto-Nowcaster University Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) - Rita RobertsUniversity Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) - Rita Roberts 

Summary  Define  ZFW ARTCC  Types of TDAs used at FTW CWSU TRACONTRACON ARTCCARTCC  Forecast Tools

FTW CWSU web site