Nav Canada is leading the creation of a free online resource called the Nav Canada Aviation Meteorology Reference (AvMet). The resource is designed to provide a universal understanding of weather terms significant to the aviation industry. AvMet aims to merge operational and meteorological information.
“We will explain the science behind the weather, tie it to real-world events through forecast products and resultant observations, and discuss potential impacts,” said Sophie Splawinski, SavMet project manager, co-leader, and shift manager at Nav Canada. “The way the weather can impact commercial and general aviation pilots, dispatchers, airports, and air navigation services can vary greatly. So, when making decisions that impact a broad range of groups, it’s imperative to have a common understanding of meteorological terminology in real-time.”
Erin Pierce, AvMet co-leader and dispatcher at airline Jazz Aviation, said this tool was born out of a need identified through conversations with pilots, dispatchers, and air navigation service professionals. “We realized there isn’t a great deal of industry cross-training happening between weather forecasters and the people who are making decisions based on those forecasts. Our project aims to bridge that gap,” Pierce said.
AvMet is scheduled to launch on Nav Canada’s website this summer, beginning with approximately 40 aviation weather terms and regular updates planned thereafter. Each term will relate to weather phenomena experienced by users.