Air-to-ground (ATG) in-flight connectivity provider SmartSky has announced that it will be bringing global aviation predictive weather provider Meandair’s weather nowcasting to the SmartSky Predictive Weather Data Suite.
It will be delivered via Skytelligence®, SmartSky’s aviation data exchange. SmartSky’s next-generation ATG network, advanced hardware and enhanced services such as the company’s Skytelligence solution enable the predictive weather data suite.
“Meandair provides invaluable flight condition awareness for aviation. SmartSky’s next-generation network enables the cockpit 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,” said Sean Reilly, Vice President of Digital Solutions and Air Transport for SmartSky.
“Adding Meandair’s global capabilities also allows us to provide extended predictive services to our predictive weather customers as they prepare to leave CONUS and cross into international destinations. This can mean increased safety and sustainability with reduced costs.”
According to SmartSky, Meandair’s Nowcasting Weather Engine technology assimilates numerical weather prediction forecasts with near real-time observations from several weather sensors such as satellites, a network of ground stations, radar, as well as data streams from flying aircraft, into a comprehensive snapshot of the atmospheric column.
The solution extrapolates the evolution of the weather for the coming minutes and hours over mainland, remote regions and oceans, with Meandair delivering finalised 4D datasets, spot forecasts and graphically rendered end-user products every 15 minutes.
Peter Novák, Managing Director for Meandair commented: “Along with our other predictive weather products our nowcasts for turbulence data predict turbulence along the flight path including Clear Air Turbulence (CAT). Our Turbulens 4D algorithm provides a flight experience that can alleviate safety concerns and potentially costly turbulence-related damage repairs.
“SmartSky is uniquely equipped to make this vital information available to U.S. aviation and deliver it in real-time to flight crews when they need it most – in flight.”
