Center Controllers Tap ‘Warp Speed’ Weather

Fort Worth Center controllers last month began using the FAA’s new weather and radar processor (WARP), an interface that allows Doppler weather information to be displayed on the same radar screen as aircraft targets. An FAA spokeswoman said WARP enhances safety by allowing controllers to reroute traffic quickly around severe weather. Various colors are used to show different intensities of precipitation at a number of altitudes, depicted on the controller’s radar screen as “background graphics,” said the spokeswoman. This allows controllers to concentrate on weather appropriate to the precise location and altitude of a given aircraft. The FAA eventually plans to install WARP at all its ATC centers.