Safety Recommendation A-14-013

-From Bryan Bedford, Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Digital Aviation Services (DAS) has been operationally implemented at all 116 Continental United States Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) and one WFO in Puerto Rico. However, DAS has not been implemented at five WFOs located outside the Continental United States—three in Alaska (Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau) and two in the Pacific (Honolulu and Guam)—primarily due to sparse observational data points limiting the quality of gridded ceiling and visibility forecasts. The NWS does not have any further plans to implement DAS at this time.

We note that you continue to work with the NWS to implement the digital aviation services (DAS), which will provide all NWS weather forecast offices (WFOs) with a gridded database of aviation weather forecast information that is consistent across NWS products. We also note that you are working to ensure that flight services contractors can access the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation, which is one of the products produced by the NWS using the DAS.

We continue to believe your efforts thus far are responsive to this recommendation. However, we believe this recommendation should remain open until the DAS has been implemented at all 122 NWS WFOs. Pending completion of this action, Safety Recommendation A-14-13 remains classified OPEN-- ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From Kathryn Thomson, Deputy Administrator: In its April 25, 2023, letter, the Board stated that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not indicate in our September 21, 2022, letter if preflight weather contractors and the FAA will have access to Digital Aviation Services (DAS) products and be able to provide pilots with information from them. In response, the FAA emphasizes NWS DAS will ensure consistency across NWS products but notes that DAS does not create new products. For example, DAS will provide first-guess grids for the Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF).

This process is repeated for all other service areas, thus providing consistency for fire, weather, public, marine, aviation, and others. All products will be provided by the same grids. DAS will be used to produce products that users are already receiving.

One of the products produced by the NWS using DAS is the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA). The FAA is working to ensure that the flight services contractors will have access to the GFA. However, GFA access is a separate issue that does not depend on whether DAS is used.

I will keep the Board informed of our progress with Safety Recommendation A-14-13 and anticipate providing an update by July 31, 2024.

We are aware that the NWS is working to implement Digital Aviation Services (DAS) products, which will provide a nationally consistent gridded database of aviation weather forecast information. In December 2022, the NWS told us it was soliciting public comments on the experimental ceiling, visibility, and low-level wind shear grids in the National Digital Forecast Database over the continental United States and Puerto Rico. We believe the NWS’s work to implement DAS is responsive to Safety Recommendation A-14-17.

We note that implementing DAS products will not result in any changes to preflight weather briefings; however, you did not indicate if preflight weather contractors and the FAA will have access to DAS products and be able to provide pilots with information from them. Pending our review of this additional information, and completion of the recommended action, Safety Recommendation A-14-13 remains classified OPEN-- ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

From Billy Nolen, Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration: This is our final response to Safety Recommendation A-14-13, further response to Safety Recommendations A-14-14 and -15, and supplements our previous letters.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) previously informed the Board that we were waiting for the NWS to establish product and service requirements in response to Safety Recommendation A-14-17, which was assigned to the NWS in our January 21, 2020 letter. During the March 2022 meeting between the NWS and FAA staff, the NWS stated that no new products or services were required and that Digital Aviation Services will continue to be utilized as a more consistent and reliable product between aviation and non-aviation weather, resulting in no changes to preflight weather briefings. Based on this determination, the FAA considers its actions complete.

We note that, after the NWS has established product and service requirements in response to Safety Recommendation A-14-17, you intend to require new and modified products to be included in preflight weather briefings. Pending completion of the recommended action, Safety Recommendation A-14-13 remains classified OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From Steve Dickson, Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notes that once the NWS establishes product and service requirements in response to Safety Recommendation A-14-17 the FAA will take appropriate action requiring any new or modified products to be included in preflight weather briefings. The NWS is addressing Safety Recommendation A-14-17 through implementation of Digital Aviation Services (DAS) across its offices, which provides a consistent framework for aviation and non-aviation products. The NWS informed the FAA that DAS is in a testing phase or operational at 82 NWS locations in their Southern, Eastern, and Central Regions.

The Western Region will be completed in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, and the Pacific and Alaska regions will be completed in FY 2021. The NWS expects A-14-17 to remain open until DAS is operational across all their regions.

In addition to DAS, the NWS updated NWS Instruction 10-811 , Operations and Services, Aviation Weather Services, NWS Policy Directive 10-8. EnRoute Forecasts and Advisories, in January 2019. This allows the issuance of advisories of aviation hazards for areas smaller than 3,000 square miles. The NWS' actions to implement DAS and update Instruction 10-811 have not modified or created any new products. Consequently, the FAA does not have any related updates to preflight weather briefings. The FAA will continue to coordinate with the NWS on the status of A-14-17 through monthly aviation weather meetings.

We note that you continue to work with the NWS to determine appropriate actions regarding mandated content of preflight weather briefings in response to NWS product modifications or creations. Pending completion of the recommended action (after the NWS completes its action in response to Safety Recommendation A-14-17), Safety Recommendation A-14-13 remains classified OPEN—ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From Michael P. Huerta, Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to work with the NWS to establish product and service requirements in response to Safety Recommendation A-14-17. Once these requirements have been established and the NWS informs the FAA of the impending availability of a new or modified product, we will take appropriate action to ensure the product is required in preflight weather briefings.

I will keep the Board informed of the FAA's progress on this safety recommendation and update the Board by November 2016.

We note that you are working to determine appropriate actions regarding mandated content of preflight weather briefings in response to NWS product modifications or creations. Pending completion of the recommended action after the NWS completes its action in response to Safety Recommendation A-14-17, Safety Recommendation A-14-13 is classified OPEN—ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From Michael P. Huerta, Administrator: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working to determine appropriate actions regarding mandated content of preflight weather briefings in response to any product modifications or creations by the NWS.