Center Weather Service Unit CWSU Center Weather Service Unit CWSU ZFW ZFW

Support of Air Traffic OperationsSupport of Air Traffic Operations

Douglas Reno

Fort Worth Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)

Birth of the CWSU Program:Birth of the CWSU Program:Southern Airlines crash 04 April 1977Southern Airlines crash 04 April 1977NTSB Recommendation to FAA:NTSB Recommendation to FAA:NTSB-AAR-78-3 dated 26 January 1978NTSB-AAR-78-3 dated 26 January 1978

Weather Support to be provided from NWS with Weather Support to be provided from NWS with On-siteOn-site Meteorologists Meteorologists

20 CWSU’s in the CONUS (1 in Alaska) 3 Meteorologists 1 Meteorologist-in-Charge

Two shifts per day(Normally…one forecaster per shift)(ZFW: 5:30am – 9:30pm…overtime as needed)Two formal briefings per day: 7:00am / 3:00pm

ZFW High Altitude Sectors: FL240 & Above

ZFW Low Altitude Sectors: Below FL240

Fort Worth ARTC CenterFort Worth ARTC Center

DFW DFW TRACON TRACON ArrivalArrival and and DepartureDeparture operations.operations.

ZHU Arrivals 7am – 9pm

SPS

LTS FSICVS

DFW

ACT

SHVGGGABI

LBB

MAF

TXK

GVT

ADM

HOB

GRK

MLU

SJT(MAF)

END

OKC

TUL

FSMCSM

Terminal & En-Route OperationsTerminal & En-Route Operations

Fort Worth ARTCC

POE

• 16 Radar Approach Control Facilities16 Radar Approach Control Facilities

• 6 VFR Towers6 VFR Towers

• 85 Airports With Instrument Approaches 85 Airports With Instrument Approaches

•Average annual total traffic for 2008: 1,785,885Average annual total traffic for 2008: 1,785,885

Tools / Products we useTools / Products we use

(Developed in-house)Plotter, PP Tools, Climate Program WARP – Weather and Radar Processor

AWIPS – Advanced Weather Interactive Processing SystemN-AWIPSITWS – Integrated Terminal Weather SystemMETARs, TAFs, AFDsSPC / HPC / AWC / TPC products

Right clickon metarto displaylist of observations

Display of Airmets

WARP Generated Radar Mosaic with StandardWARP Generated Radar Mosaic with StandardInstrument Departure OverlayInstrument Departure Overlay

WARP Generated Echo Tops FL300 and AboveWARP Generated Echo Tops FL300 and Above

Integrated Terminal Weather System ITWSIntegrated Terminal Weather System ITWS

Products / ServicesProducts / Services

Participate in CCFP Participate in CCFP

Collaborative Convective Forecast ProductCollaborative Convective Forecast Product

Internet chat: every 2 hours Internet chat: every 2 hours

Prepare CWSU / WFO FWDPrepare CWSU / WFO FWD

Coordination DiscussionCoordination Discussion

Prepare Center Weather Advisories – CWAPrepare Center Weather Advisories – CWA

Solicit / Disseminate PIREPSSolicit / Disseminate PIREPS

DFW Weather & Airport Acceptance RatesDFW Weather & Airport Acceptance Rates

CIGS VSBY ARRIVALS/HR IMPACT (AAR)>4000 >6 120+ No ARTCC problems 1000-4000 3-6 112-114 Limited or no visual approaches 200-900 1/2-3 96 In-trail spacing needed (MIT)<200 <1/4 78-84 Significant delays (MIT GDP)

Other Weather Conditions

TSRA 0+ Variable delays (MIT GDP GS)FZRA/FZDZ/SN Delays for de-icing (MIT GDP GS)WINDSHIFTS Up to 30 minutes of ground/airborne delays to switch runways.CROSSWINDS20-24KT 114-84 Miles in Trail (MIT)>25KT < 78 MIT GDP

ZCZC FTWWRKZFWZCZC FTWWRKZFWTTAA00 KFTW 182310 TTAA00 KFTW 182310 FORT WORTH CWSU AVIATION DISCUSSION...182301Z CONCERNS...WND TRENDS. EXP WNDS FORT WORTH CWSU AVIATION DISCUSSION...182301Z CONCERNS...WND TRENDS. EXP WNDS TO DECOUPLE NEXT HR...W/ GSTS DMSHG AND SUSTND SPDS CONTG NR 12-15KT. SPDS TO DECOUPLE NEXT HR...W/ GSTS DMSHG AND SUSTND SPDS CONTG NR 12-15KT. SPDS DMSHG TO AOB 10KT AFT 06Z. NW WNDS CONTG WED 8-12KT BCMG LGT NW NEAR END OF DMSHG TO AOB 10KT AFT 06Z. NW WNDS CONTG WED 8-12KT BCMG LGT NW NEAR END OF TAF AS SFC HI PRES BLDS ACRS CNTRL TX. OTRW...VFR/FEW-SCT MID CLDS BCMG SKC BY TAF AS SFC HI PRES BLDS ACRS CNTRL TX. OTRW...VFR/FEW-SCT MID CLDS BCMG SKC BY 03Z. 03Z.

DFW AIRPORT ACCEPTANCE RATE..114. DFW AIRPORT ACCEPTANCE RATE..114.

DFW WX DELAYS/ACFT...NONE.DFW WX DELAYS/ACFT...NONE.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS FOR DFW (Timing of onset/ending very important) IMPORTANT NUMBERS FOR DFW (Timing of onset/ending very important)

CIGS CIGS VSBY VSBY ARRIVALS/HR ARRIVALS/HR IMPACT IMPACT >4000 >4000 >6 >6 120+120+ No ARTCC/TRACON problems No ARTCC/TRACON problems 1000-4000 1000-4000 3-63-6 112-114 112-114 Limited or no visual approaches Limited or no visual approaches 200-900 200-900 1/2-3 1/2-3 96 96 In-trail spacing needed In-trail spacing needed <200 <200 <1/4 <1/4 78-84 78-84 Significant delays Significant delays TSRA TSRA 0+ variable delays 0+ variable delays FZRA/FZDZ FZRA/FZDZ major delays for de-icingmajor delays for de-icing WINDSHIFTS--up to 20 minutes of ground/airborne delays to switch rwys. WINDSHIFTS--up to 20 minutes of ground/airborne delays to switch rwys.

NNNN NNNN

CWSU / WFO FWD Coordination Discussion

CWA – Center Weather AdvisoryCWA – Center Weather Advisory

Valid up to 2 hours

Convection (for ZFW…normally 1 hour)TurbulenceIcingIFR / LIFRLow-Level Wind Shear

Coverage by: Area, line, point

Solicit / Disseminate Pilot ReportsSolicit / Disseminate Pilot Reports

FAA Strategic Plan of OperationsFAA Strategic Plan of Operations

Teleconference held every two hours…Teleconference held every two hours…– Input from CCFPInput from CCFP– Input from forecaster…Input from forecaster…

especially routes affected by thunderstormsespecially routes affected by thunderstorms Potential for LIFR (Ceilings < 005/Visibility < 1SM)Potential for LIFR (Ceilings < 005/Visibility < 1SM) Potential for significant crosswinds (>= 25 knots)Potential for significant crosswinds (>= 25 knots)

FAA Delay ProgramsFAA Delay Programs GDP – Ground Delay Program (> 2 hours)GDP – Ground Delay Program (> 2 hours)

Implemented when airport demand exceeds Implemented when airport demand exceeds airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a lengthy airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a lengthy period of time (IFR/LIFR, TS, Crosswinds)period of time (IFR/LIFR, TS, Crosswinds)

GS – Ground Stop (1-2 hours)GS – Ground Stop (1-2 hours) Implemented when airport demand exceedsImplemented when airport demand exceeds

airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a short airport capacity (acceptance rate) for a short period.period.

Prior to implementing a GDPPrior to implementing a GDP

When airport cannot accept aircraftWhen airport cannot accept aircraft

Playbook example: BNA

Playbook example: BYP 2

Playbook example: CQY

Fort Worth CWSU Homepage

End End Questions?Questions?