NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-17-031
Recommendation
TO THE NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION: Work with the Federal Aviation Administration to develop and distribute to all air traffic control (ATC) facilities best practices guidance for the solicitation and dissemination of pilot weather reports for each type of ATC facility.
Safety Issue and Context
Pilot weather reports (PIREPs), which are brief reports from pilots describing observed in-flight weather conditions, are an important source of weather information in the National Airspace System (NAS). Complete, accurate, and timely weather information is essential to support flight safety for all aircraft operations—large and small—in the NAS; it is vital for use in avoiding inadvertent encounters with hazardous weather and preventing weather-related accidents. Historically, weather-related accidents involving general aviation aircraft that encountered poor visibility have a higher fatality rate than all other types of accidents.
For US air carriers, accidents involving encounters with in-flight turbulence account for the most injuries to passengers and flight attendants. PIREPs, because they provide in situ observations, are one of the most important pieces of information that weather forecasters have when assessing the quality of their forecasts and improving graphical weather products used by pilots and others to avoid weather hazards in the NAS.
Response History
October 26, 2017 · NTSB Correspondence · National Air Traffic Controllers Association
We note that you are working with the FAA on various initiatives to improve PIREP solicitation and dissemination. In addition to the initiatives that you mentioned in your letter, in a July 10, 2017, letter regarding Safety Recommendation A-17-20 , the FAA informed us of its plans to survey ATC facilities to determine how they collect and disseminate PIREPs, and told us that it is establishing a team of subject matter experts to analyze the data and existing best practices. We look forward to receiving updates on your collaborative efforts.
Pending the development of best practices guidance for soliciting and disseminating PIREPs for each type of ATC facility, Safety Recommendation A-17-31 is classified OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.
August 8, 2017 · Recipient Response · National Air Traffic Controllers Association
-From Paul M. Rinaldi, President: On April 13, 2017, you wrote to me regarding the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) March 29, 2017 adoption of a Special Investigation Report titled: "Improving Pilot Weather Report Submission and Dissemination to Benefit Safety in the National Air.)pace System." (NTSB/SIR-17/02) In the report, the NTSB issued the following Recommendation (A-17-31) to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA): "Work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop and distribute to all air traffic control (ATC) facilities best practices guidance for the solicitation and dissemination of pilot weather reports for each type of ATC facility ."
NA TCA and the FAA have been working together on three collaborative initiatives to address the solicitation and dissemination of Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPS), and continue to be engaged in discussions about how best to move forward with this recommendation.
1. Since late 2015, NATCA and the FAA have been working on the Take a Stand for Safety campaign. Our first step for that campaign was to develop an outreach program called " Weather: Complete the Picture," which was aimed at addressing gaps with the PIREPS process and raise awareness about the importance of soliciting and disseminating weather information. This campaign was featured through a number of formats to include video, recurrent training, Partnership for Safety, literature, and safety conference panel discussions.
2. Beginning in December 201 6, NATCA and the FAA collaboratively began a Weather Services Review at numerous facilities throughout the system. This activity has been focused on assessing the effectiveness of weather solicitation and dissemination of PIREPS, Radar depicted precipitation, Significant Meteorological Events (SIGMETS), and verification of Air Traffic Information Service (A TIS) information pertaining to weather events. In addition to remote monitoring, we also conducted on-site interviews with air traffic managers and the controller workforce.
3. Finally, on July 31, 2017, NATCA and the FAA implemented a Pre-Duty Weather Briefing for the en route facilities. Over the next several months, we will begin implementing this briefing in phases for the underlying terminal facilities. Once fully implemented, all operational air traffic personnel will receive an overview of forecasted weather prior to beginning their shift (including SIGMETS, PIREPS, Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETS), and convective weather).
April 13, 2017 · NTSB Correspondence · National Air Traffic Controllers Association
On March 29, 2017, the NTSB adopted its special investigation report titled “Improving Pilot Weather Report Submission and Dissemination to Benefit Safety in the National Airspace System.”1 Additional information about related incidents and accidents and the resulting recommendations may be found in the special investigation report, which can be accessed at our website, http://www.ntsb.gov, under report number NTSB/SIR-17/02.
In this special investigation report, we issued 19 new recommendations, including 13 recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); one to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute; one to the Aviation Accreditation Board International, the National Association of Flight Instructors, and the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (each, respectively); two to the National Weather Service; one to the Cargo Airline Association; and the following recommendation to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.