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Sources for Weather Information
There are many sources available for today’s pilot when gathering information about weather prior to a flight. A review of pertinent weather reports and information is required by FAA regulations and the following sources provide excellent weather information. For the balloon pilot, experience and study helps him or her determine the preferred sources for weather information.FAA Flight Service Stations (FSS)
The FAA FSS is the primary source for preflight weather information. FSS can be contacted by calling 1-800-WXBRIEF. It also logs pilot contacts to provide background information in the event of an accident or incident, as well as substantiating workload statistics. It is one of the two sources of an official weather briefing.
Although there are currently 44 FSS operations, the FAA plans to automate the service and reduce the physical locations eventually to three. Due to this, occasional extended wait times can occur, particularly during periods of marginal or severe weather. To facilitate the process, inform the briefer prior to the start of the briefing of the information needed.
Internet Sources
A wealth of internet sources exist for the balloon pilot seeking information about current weather conditions.
• Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS) (www.duats.com—probably the most well-known of the many internet based weather sites, DUATS provides an on-line “official” briefing service at no cost to the aviation community. The site is a contracted function of the FAA, and is available to anyone who registers. Besides the normal briefing that can be received from the FSS, there are a number of graphic products available that enhance the user’s understanding of current and forecast weather.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (www.noaa.gov)—NOAA operates the National Weather Service (NWS) at www.nws.noaa.gov which provides access to weather information collected on a continuing basis throughout the country.
NOAA also offers pilots an interactive page at www.weather.gov/view/largemap.php that is activated on a state-by-state basis and provides hourly weather observations at selected points. [Figure 4-27] This weather information helps a pilot determine trends in winds and pressure systems, which are prime indicators of general conditions for balloon pilots.
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• National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (www.ucar.edu)—a collaborative effort of research centers, universities, and weather offices around the United States, this site provides numerous real-time and forecast weather products and graphics.
• Aviation Digital Data Services (ADDS) (www.aviationweather.gov)—the Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) makes text, digital and graphical forecasts, analyses, and observations of aviation-related weather variables available to the aviation community. The ADDS graphics and charts are often easier to interpret than those of the AWC website.
• Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Weather Display (www.weather.aero/hems)—the ADDS development team created an experimental tool designed to show weather conditions for short-distance and low-altitude flights common for the helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) community at the request of the FAA. [Figure 4-28] This interactive site allows the user to determine ceiling and visibility and winds (at 500 foot increments) for an area as small as 5k2. While not specifically targeted nor designed for the balloon pilot’s use, the information obtained from this site is helpful to the pilot planning a flight at some distance from a normal weather reporting facility.
Interpreting Weather Charts and Reports
A weather chart is any chart or map that presents data and analysis that describe the state of the atmosphere over an extended region at a given time. Weather charts provide a picture of the overall movement of major weather systems and fronts and are used in flight planning.
Three useful weather charts for balloon pilots are: surface analysis, weather depiction, and radar summary charts. These three charts present current weather information and provide “big picture” information for weather systems across the United States. The composite moisture stability chart, constant pressure analysis charts, and significant weather prognostic charts provide additional information for flight planning.
Knowledge of all these weather charts, reports, and forecasts may not be necessary for the pilot planning a local flight, but an understanding of large scale weather patterns and systems bring a greater understanding of how those systems affect local weather. It is important to gain an understanding of the primary charts used, and develop interpolation skills to be able to perform safe, adequate flight planning. Surface Analysis Chart
The surface analysis chart is computer-generated, covers the contiguous 48 states and adjacent areas, and is transmitted every 3 hours with an analysis of the current surface weather. It shows the areas of high and low pressure, fronts, temperatures, dew points, wind directions and speeds, local weather, and visual obstructions. [Figure 4-29]
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Balloon Flying Handbook(58)
