NOAA Research Recognized for Excellence in Aviation Product Development
Greg Pratt, Dennis Rodgers, Jim Frimel, Lisa Gifford, and Young Chun of
NOAA’s Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL) will receive the Aviation Meteorology Award at the annual meeting of the National Weather Association in Portland, OR, October 16–21, 2004. Led by Mr. Pratt, the members of this group within FSL’s Aviation Division will be presented the award, along with staff from the National Weather Service’s Center Weather Service Unit in Ft Worth, Texas, for their exceptional sustained efforts to develop and implement operational enhancements for aviation services.
The combination of talent, effort, and results led to the receipt of this award. These two groups work very closely to develop and implement tools that enhance aviation forecasting, and aviation weather products that support air route traffic controllers, dispatchers, and pilots. Lynn Sherretz, the Aviation Forecasts Product Development Team Leader, deserves credit for his programmatic vision and stewardship.
In collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration, National Weather Service, and Department of Transportation, FSL also develops aviation tools such as the Volcanic Ash Coordination Tool (VACT), designed to help provide consistent, accurate, and expedient volcanic ash forecasting. The VACT software allows forecasters to determine if a volcanic event has occurred, coordinate forecasting of the ash movement, and disseminate the required products. Another important development is the Web-based Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS), which provides pilots and dispatchers with easy, inexpensive, real-time access to the latest operational aviation weather observations and forecasts.
Contact information
Name: Rhonda K Lange
Tel: 303-497-6045
Rhonda.K.Lange@noaa.gov