Introduction
Flight Hazard Forecasting Configuration
Description of the functions of DTN Flight Hazard Forecasting, and how the N-FP system integrates with that information.
We estimate that this will take 5 minutes to complete.
Detailed Explanation
Flight Hazard Forecasting Configuration
This module showcases the various methods employed when configuring the Flight Hazard Forecast Settings.
These settings include:
- Airline Code Parameters
- Aircraft Characteristics
- PLAN UI.
Airline Code Parameters
FHF Configuration
The primary settings for Flight Hazard Forecasting are located in the Airline Code Parameters interface.
The settings in Airline Code Parameters will apply to all flights actioned under that ALC, unless there are more specific settings, which will supersede the Airline Code Parameters.
For example, if a Severe Turbulence threshold is established in the Airline Code Parameters, a threshold attributed to a specific aircraft, via Aircraft Characteristics, will supersede the Airline Code Parameter setting.
Click the Airline Code Parameters hyperlink.
To begin the configuration, we must first access Airline Code Parameters and find the appropriate field.
Click the Weather & Notam menu item.
Click the Edit button.
Click the Wind Source dropdown button.
Available Wind Source options are UKM, NWS, and TEL.
UKM, equates to UK Met Office winds.
NWS, equates to National Weather Service winds.
The TEL option combines global Flight Hazard data with the NWS wind data.
Click the TEL list item.
Click the Default Hazard Source dropdown button.
The Flight Hazard Data associated with the TEL Wind Source is connected to the GRIB import, which is done 4-times-daily.
N-FP also offers hourly updates of a more granular hazard model for North America, resulting in more accurate hazard data for flight planning.
Selection of a hazard model will be triggered by the "Hazard Source" field within the UI. The available options will be NONE, TEL, and DTN.
- The "TEL" option will include the hazard data, communicated as part of the global GRIB, updated four times daily.
- The "DTN" option will include the new hourly hazard data, valid for North America Only.
- If the DTN option is selected, and the flight operates beyond North America, the base "TEL" hazard data will be considered.
- If "NONE" is selected, the system will fall back to the Wind Source selection, where TEL will provide the existing GRIB based hazard data.
- NWS and UKM Wind Source will not provide any hazard data to the system.
Click the DTN list item.
Click the Turbulence EDR threshold input field.
N-FP allows for configuration of Hazard Thresholds, which are the values used to identify required avoidance.
Additional values exist for turbulence, to identify Light/Moderate/Severe values, but these do not trigger avoidance.
Once the "threshold" values are configured, the system can begin automatic avoidance of the hazards.
The YES/NO drop downs, for avoidance of each specific hazard, control whether the system will automatically avoid these hazards by default.
Enter 0.4 into the Turbulence EDR threshold field.
Click the Avoid Turbulence dropdown button.
Click the Yes list item.
By selecting "YES", this configuration instructs the system to automatically avoid Turbulence with an EDR of 0.4 or greater.
The avoidance can be deselected in the Plan UI on a flight-by-flight basis.
Aircraft Characteristics
FHF Configuration
The Aircraft Characteristics interface allows for Flight Hazard Forecasting settings for a specific aircraft.
The setting in Aircraft Characteristics will supersede the Airline Code Parameters configuration.
For example, if a Severe Turbulence threshold is established in the Airline Code Parameters, a threshold attributed to a specific aircraft, via Aircraft Characteristics, will supersede the Airline Code Parameter setting.
Click the Aircraft Characteristics hyperlink.
Click the Performance tab.
Click the Avoid Turb EDR input field.
Note that the option for default avoidance does not exist at the Aircraft setting level. That setting is made at the ALC level only.
Enter 0.20 into the Avoid Turb EDR field.
Click the Save button.
The new value, "0.20" will instruct the system that the turbulence threshold for this specific aircraft is 0.20. When avoidance is requested, the threshold for this aircraft will be significantly lower than the setting we entered in the Airline Code Parameters.
PLAN UI
FHF Configuration
The PLAN UI allows for final determination of Flight Hazard Forecasting on a flight-by-flight basis.
Plan does not have configurations for the FHF thresholds, but does provide the ability to turn avoidance on and off.
The Route Builder also has these avoidance options, allowing for the avoidance information to be integrated directly into the route building process.
Click the Route >> button.
Click the Avoid Turb check box.
Click the Route menu item.
Click the New button.
Click the Avoid turbulence check box.
Click the Generate button.
Click the Apply button.