RingLaserGyroSandwich
Pre-takeoff checklist
Certain weather-related information can be challenging to obtain for general aviation pilots. Cloud tops, icing conditions, and turbulence are generally reported verbally by pilots. I know ATC has rules and policies regarding soliciting PIREPS when weather information is needed, but good intelligence regarding PIREP-based weather conditions seems to be scarce overall.
Have there been any serious efforts to outfit airplanes (either small GA planes or airliners) with equipment that automatically measures visibility (or at least whether or not you are currently inside a cloud), presence of icing, and turbulence levels? The information could be transmitted to ground facilities for dissemination or possibly to other aircraft. An obvious way to do this would be to add the information to ADS-B Out data since as I understand it there is plenty of capacity for additional data in the information transmitted by airplane installations. The system would need a computer algorithm to cross reference GPS position and altitude with sensor readings to report them accurately. For example, rather than continuously broadcasting the air clarity measured, the computer can track the visibility as a function of altitude and time. Then, it can determine if a cloud layer was exited, and at what altitude. It would report that the estimated cloud tops are at flight level XXX. In theory, if your system reported something unexpected, ATC could ask you to verify verbally. Perhaps a master system would consolidate the data from multiple aircraft and reject outliers.
I wouldn't foresee such a setup as being mandatory for GA pilots any time soon, but it could be a good long-term goal for ADS-B out equipment to be integrated with reasonable sensors. Has this already been done? Is it a good idea? What would it really take?
Have there been any serious efforts to outfit airplanes (either small GA planes or airliners) with equipment that automatically measures visibility (or at least whether or not you are currently inside a cloud), presence of icing, and turbulence levels? The information could be transmitted to ground facilities for dissemination or possibly to other aircraft. An obvious way to do this would be to add the information to ADS-B Out data since as I understand it there is plenty of capacity for additional data in the information transmitted by airplane installations. The system would need a computer algorithm to cross reference GPS position and altitude with sensor readings to report them accurately. For example, rather than continuously broadcasting the air clarity measured, the computer can track the visibility as a function of altitude and time. Then, it can determine if a cloud layer was exited, and at what altitude. It would report that the estimated cloud tops are at flight level XXX. In theory, if your system reported something unexpected, ATC could ask you to verify verbally. Perhaps a master system would consolidate the data from multiple aircraft and reject outliers.
I wouldn't foresee such a setup as being mandatory for GA pilots any time soon, but it could be a good long-term goal for ADS-B out equipment to be integrated with reasonable sensors. Has this already been done? Is it a good idea? What would it really take?
