Progress in the Development of Weather Information Systems for the Cockpit

Weather is a causal factor in thirty percent of all aviation accidents. Many of these accidents are due to a lack of weather situation awareness by pilots in flight. Providing strategic weather information during the en route phase of flight can enhance weather situation awareness and enable avoidance of adverse conditions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has teamed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), industry and academia to develop technologies for affordable, color graphic display of weather information in the cockpit. These technologies, currently in the initial stages of commercialization by industry, will provide more precise and timely knowledge of the weather and enable pilots in flight to make decisions that result in safer and more efficient operations.