1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Thanks, Dennis. We have just seen the Weather Channel for people, but can you believe that airplanes need their own weather channel? 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:13,000 To tell us more about the Aviation Weather Channel is Tom Van Meter of the Federal Aviation Administration. 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Thanks, Van. Pilots need to have a continual awareness of the changing nature of the atmosphere on their route of flight 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:25,000 in order to be able to react to changing weather conditions in a safe, efficient, and timely manner. 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:30,000 It is the job of the weather coordinators here at the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,000 to provide aviation weather information to operational aviation decision makers, 7 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,000 such as traffic management and severe weather specialists here at the command center, 8 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:43,000 along with the traffic management units and severe weather specialists in the field facilities. 9 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,000 While the National Weather Service looks at a wide range of weather conditions, 10 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:50,000 the information that the weather coordinators are looking for is aviation-related, 11 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:55,000 such as icing conditions and thunderstorms, that can have a major impact on the National Airspace System. 12 00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:01,000 Weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, clear air turbulence, volcanic ash, and severe icing 13 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,000 can cause large portions of the National Airspace System to be unusable. 14 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,000 Geographical features and altitude also have an effect on aviation weather. 15 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Moisture drawn from the Great Lakes can cause lake-effect snowstorms to form on the east side of the Great Lakes 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,000 while the rest of the Midwest remains clear. 17 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:23,000 When icing conditions such as freezing rain occur at an airport, ice may build up on aircraft wings, 18 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,000 changing their shape and adding a considerable amount of weight to the aircraft. 19 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,000 This change in shape and addition of weight can cause the aircraft to be unable to fly. 20 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,000 To counter the effects of icing at certain airports, the airport may go into a de-icing status. 21 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:41,000 De-icing is a slow procedure in which the entire aircraft is sprayed with a de-icing fluid 22 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,000 to remove the ice and temporarily prevent additional buildup. 23 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Because of the time it takes to de-ice an aircraft, there is a reduction in the number of aircraft that can depart from that airport. 24 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,000 When this happens, if a corresponding reduction in the arrival traffic is not made, 25 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:01,000 the number of aircraft on the airport will grow until there is no longer any ramp space left in which to park additional aircraft. 26 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,000 This situation is known as gridlock. 27 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,000 The traffic management specialists at the command center monitor the situation at airports in a de-icing status 28 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:16,000 and if necessary will adjust the arrival flows in order to accommodate the airport's capacity and prevent it from going into gridlock. 29 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,000 When icing conditions aloft impact a large geographical area, 30 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,000 the traffic management specialists in the command center's severe weather unit 31 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,000 work with the affected facilities to develop routes around the icing conditions. 32 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,000 Aircraft that are not equipped for flight into icing conditions may use these routes 33 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,000 or may divert to another airport to wait until the icing conditions have passed. 34 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:40,000 Aircraft that are equipped for flight into icing conditions may fly through the area if desired. 35 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Consider the weather-related condition of icing. 36 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,000 Are icing characteristics the same everywhere? 37 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:52,000 So let me ask you, how might geographic and atmospheric features contribute to icing differences in different regions of the United States? 38 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,000 So now you know, people aren't the only ones that need a weather channel. 39 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:02,000 Consider the dilemma in working in the field of meteorology. 40 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:07,000 Unlike other science fields where laboratory tests can be performed under tight controls, 41 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:13,000 meteorology has no laboratory except for a vast dynamic atmosphere outside. 42 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:17,000 Our friends at the Weather Channel and the FAA Air Traffic Assistance Command Center 43 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:22,000 have helped demonstrate the science and art in making weather predictions and decisions 44 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,000 that affect us on the ground and in the air. 45 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Hi, I'm Shelley Canright, pre-college officer for NASA and host for the Connect series. 46 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:35,000 Thus far, we have been given some basic understanding of weather fundamentals 47 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,000 and the impact weather has on aviation operations. 48 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:45,000 Meteorological conditions, which have been frequent causes of aviation delays, injuries and accidents, 49 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:53,000 include poor visibility, thunderstorms, wind shear or microbursts, clear air turbulence, snow storms, freezing rain and icing. 50 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,000 In today's program, you will hear from leaders in the federal government 51 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:02,000 who have made aviation safety and aviation weather a specific mission. 52 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,000 Central to this is research. 53 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:10,000 It's a key factor in the development and implementation of new technologies related to aviation weather. 54 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,000 And because of all that, you're going to have the opportunity to visit some unique NASA facilities 55 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,000 and witness groundbreaking research. 56 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:23,000 And as you listen to the researchers' stories on their investigations, consider these questions. 57 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,000 What is the relationship between science and technology? 58 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:32,000 What is the role of mathematics and mathematical tools in scientific inquiry? 59 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:37,000 And what is the value of collaborations and partnerships in conducting research?