SmartSky’s predictive weather data suite is adding weather information from Meandair, which will allow dispatchers, FBOs, airports, and ground operations to access rapidly updated forecast information worldwide via SmartSky’s Skytelligence data exchange. Meandair’s weather products will receive near-real-time data from flying aircraft, which includes aircraft equipped with SmartSky’s air-to-ground connectivity system.
The Meandair Nowcasting Weather Engine combines information from flying aircraft, satellites, ground stations, and radar to develop “a comprehensive snapshot of the atmospheric column.” Using its meteorology expertise, artificial intelligence, and algorithms, Meandair creates 4D datasets, spot forecasts, and graphical weather information every 15 minutes. The resulting weather information includes cloud structure at altitudes, synthetic precipitation radar, active thunderstorm detection, turbulence predictions, and aviation METAR and TAF reports.
“Meandair provides invaluable flight condition awareness for aviation," said Sean Reilly, SmartSky v-p of digital solutions and air transport. "SmartSky’s next-generation network enables [flight crew] to have real-time access to predictive weather and adjust their flight path, potentially avoiding turbulence and the required AOG time following a turbulence event. Adding Meandair’s global capabilities also allows us to provide extended predictive services to our predictive weather customers as they prepare to leave [the continental U.S.] and cross into international destinations. This can mean increased safety and sustainability with reduced costs.”