The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has purchased US$465,000 of aircraft-based weather sensors and related technology from Flyht Aerospace Solutions to help the US National Weather Service (NWS) improve weather forecasting and warnings.
Aircraft-based observation technology
The order is part of a September 2023 agreement. As part of this agreement, NOAA is integrating packages of Flyht-WVSS-II sensors with Flyht’s Certus SatCom and AFIRS Edge multi-channel WQAR systems for real-time data transmission. In addition to the hardware, Flyht will deliver aircraft-based observations (ABOs) throughout the flight phases, including during ascent, descent and while en route.
The initial hardware purchase, funded by FY2023 appropriations, is slated for installation by late 2024 or early 2025. This additional hardware, funded by FY2024 appropriations, is expected to be installed in the first or second quarter of 2025.
Enhanced weather forecasting
“We are honored that NOAA continues to rely on Flyht and our weather technology to expand its observational network, particularly in data-sparse regions over the Pacific,” said Murray Skelton, vice president of business development and weather solutions at Flyht. “NOAA’s partial exercise of its options underscores the ongoing need to address data gaps over key areas of the US and surrounding oceanic regions, highlighting the continued importance of this program. We greatly value our long-standing partnership with NOAA and remain fully committed to supporting the NWS in its mission to enhance weather forecasting.”
In related news, NOAA recently tested two experimental tools that will help speed up fire detection and warning as part of its new Fire Weather Testbed that saw National Weather Service (NWS) fire weather forecasters, state wildfire managers, researchers and social scientists conduct a series of hands-on simulations. Click here to read the full story.