News

Good evening to all of you who, like me, have been bitten by the aviation and/or weather bugs!

I've been doing this stuff (aviation + weather) for more than 50 years, a long, long time. Amazingly, it continues to charge my battery and help scratch the itches from those buggies. I hope the same is true for you, too.

Within the aviation weather ecosystem, the biannual FPAW meetings are key energizers and itch relievers for me. This has become especially true since 2017, when I started to get very deeply involved in planning and executing these types of meetings, first as part of the AMS Aviation, Range and Aerospace Meteorology (ARAM) committee and then FPAW. Eight years later, it's no different - we're now less than five weeks from the Fall 2026 FPAW Meeting, and I've got this feeling of excitement inside me that continues to grow. I can't wait to see the meeting unfold, hear what the excellent presenters and panelists have to say, and meet and greet as many in person attendees as possible!

The benefits of FPAW meeting attendance are clearly there for all participants, regardless of whether they do so remotely or in person. But there is no doubt in my mind that in person participants get a little extra something out of the meeting, whether it's a new or renewed friendship, or an opportunity to dive further into an aviation weather topic with experts while on break or at dinner afterward. And then there's the meeting-specific FPAW activities, some purely social, some very technical, which just can't be duplicated for remote participants. For the upcoming meeting, that activity is a tour of the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center, led by long time aviation weather expert and current FPAW member Mark Huberdeau immediately after the conclusion of the meeting on Thursday, October 29th.

So, for those of you still on the fence about registering, do it now. And if you have the option of attending some or all of the meeting in person, and especially the final day, I encourage you to make every effort to do so. You will benefit by being there in person, and so will we. And you'll get max relief from the itches of those dastardly aviation and weather bugs!

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

Hello, FPAW Community.

As you know, the FPAW SC decided to add a student member to its rolls effective October 1, 2026 for a one-year term. We had six OUTSTANDING nominees from among whom to choose (see the September 12, 2026 newsletter/emails for the complete list of candidates).

You should take a peek at these six individuals, via your favorite social media platforms (because, being young, they're almost certainly active on one or more of them). They are simply outstanding young men and women, worthy of your future consideration if you are a hiring aviation weather manager.

That said, Nathan and I are beyond thrilled to announce that the following aviation weather student will join the FPAW SC on October 1, 2026 as the CHARTER Student Member (only one person gets to put that on their resume):

• Lauren Burge/University of Oklahoma

Please join me in congratulating Lauren as she assumes this most important and prestigious of roles.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs

Hello, my friends.

If you've ever put together an industry meeting, be it for ICAO, IATA, AMS (one of which I've done), NWA or FPAW (several of which I've done), you'll understand what I'm about to describe.

There's a point in time, early on, where you know what the meeting is going to be about (more or less), you know who has agreed to lead one or more sessions in the meeting, and you have a rough idea of who some of the presenters are going to be and what they're going to talk about.

And then, you wait. And you inquire. And you start worrying if there will be any presenters or panelists that anybody is going to want to listen to. And you begin saying "OK, there's a bunch of TBDs in this session, and I'd sure like to see a real name in there instead of TBD."

Finally, the TBDs start to disappear, and the names that are filled in are rock stars, and you say to yourself, "Wow, I'm excited to hear what's going to be discussed, and ready for this meeting start!"

Well, that's where I am with the Fall 2026 FPAW Meeting. I'm downright stoked to hear the conversations (notice the word I used - conversations, not lectures) that will take place starting exactly six weeks from today in MITRE 1H300, 7525 Colshire Drive, McLean, VA.

You, too, will not only want to hear, but participate in those conversations. You'll want to do so IN PERSON if at all possible, because regardless of how good the teleconferencing platform and host A/V systems are, there's nothing like interfacing with real, 3-D human beings, instead of the 2-D variety you get on Teams, Zoom and Google Meet. And remote participants do NOT get to interface in the meeting room during and between the sessions, during lunch, or in the planned (and EXCELLENT) post-meeting activities.

The online high-level meeting agenda for the Fall 2026 FPAW Meeting has been updated once again, as has the biographies document. There's very little missing - except for you. Register now!!

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

Good morning, all.

As we detailed in our Newsletter three days ago, the FPAW SC is going to add a Student Member to its ranks effective October 1, 2026. Six (6) complete nomination packets were received by COB yesterday, the deadline. Here are the candidates:

• Joel Barnett, 3rd year undergrad, University of Georgia, B.S. in Atmospheric Science, B.S. in Geography, Minor in Mathematics
• Lauren Burge, 2nd year undergrad, University of Oklahoma, B.S. in Meteorology, Minor in Aviation Management
• Palmer Gilliard, 3rd year undergrad, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, B.S. in Meteorology, Minor in Airline Operations
• Emina Klokic, 3rd year undergrad, University of Georgia, B.S. in Atmospheric Science, B.S. in Geography
• Samuel McDowell, 3rd year undergrad, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, B.S. in Aeronautical Science, Minor in Meteorology
• Grayson Smith, 4th year undergrad/1st year grad, University of Georgia, B.S. in Atmospheric Science, B.S. in Geography, Master of Public Health (MPH) in Disaster Management

Wow. Just wow. Look at what these amazing young people are doing. You should see their resumes!

The FPAW SC will begin the voting process in the next few days. When the voting is complete, we will communicate with all the candidates to let them know the results. After that, we'll let this community know the identity of the first Student Member of the FPAW SC.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs

Good day, veteran and aspiring aviation weather enthusiasts.

Between the upcoming Fall 2026 FPAW Meeting now less than seven weeks away, and all the stuff that goes with preparing for it, and the recently concluded election of new FPAW Steering Committee (SC) senior members effective October 1, 2026, and all the stuff that goes into conducting it and communicating the results, we nearly overlooked one more significant item on our FPAW to-do list: we are in the process of electing a student member to the FPAW SC for a one-year term, also effective October 1, 2026. And this won't be just any student member: this will be THE charter student member of the FPAW SC, the first ever, something the elected candidate will be able to proudly include on their resume for the rest of their ever lovin' days.

Over a month ago, after the first of the student member application packets came in, we wondered for a while if we were going to end up with one student candidate for one slot. Those fears were allayed shortly after, and now they've been completely obliterated, as we look to have at least five excellent students vying for the one open position.

We have glanced at some of the documents in the application packets provided by each student candidate and all we can say is this: OMG, there are some absolutely dynamite candidates in the list, which will undoubtedly make the selection process a very interesting one, indeed.

And now for a reminder. For the upcoming student member opening on the FPAW SC, complete application packets, consisting of 1) an expression of interest, including, if desired, a statement on why they should be selected, 2) a C/V or resume, and 3) a faculty letter of recommendation, must be received by us, the two FPAW Co-Chairs, via email (mfronzak@mitre.org and nathan.polderman@united.com) no later than close of business (1700E) this coming Friday, 9-11-26, which is just less than 52 hours from now.

We will announce the results of the voting to the FPAW community as soon as the results are in and the candidates have been individually advised of them.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs

Hello, FPAW Community.

The terms of either four or five current FPAW Steering Committee (SC) members expire on September 30th each year. This year, 2026, there are four current members whose terms are set to expire at the end of this month:

• Jennifer Stroozas/NWS AWC (Providers)
• Rick Curtis/Collins Aerospace (RED & Academia)
• Christian Amaral/ALPA (Users)
• Eric Avila/NATCA (Users)

Recall from our August 31st newsletter that there were eight (8) candidates for the four (4) open FPAW SC positions starting on October 1, 2026, and that voting was projected to take place early this month. We can now report that the current FPAW SC members were very quick with their selections, and that their votes have been tallied (no hanging chads, thank goodness).

Nathan and I are thrilled to announce that the following aviation weather enthusiasts will join (and, in one case, rejoin) the FPAW SC on October 1, 2026:

• Jesse Heers/Campbell Scientific (Providers)
• Matt Wandishin/NOAA GSL (RED & Academia)
• Christian Amaral/ALPA (Users)
• Doug Lotter/ADF (Users)

Please join us in congratulating them and welcoming them all to the FPAW SC. The information on the FPAW web site will be updated in the coming weeks to reflect all the changes listed above.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs

Happy Labor Day to all you aviation weather laborers!

We are one day shy of seven weeks before the Fall 2026 FPAW Meeting, and we seem to be stuck at 62 registrants.

Sixty-two? Given the meeting theme, the quality of the presenters and panelists (not including the TBDs), the outstanding session co-leads (all of whom have now been ID'd), the excellent MITRE meeting venue, and the price of admission ($0.00), we should have 162 by now!

Have you seen the early Bios document on the meeting web site? What about the Logistics document, which gives you some excellent gouge on how to get to MITRE, and where to stay if you're coming in person from out of town? There's plenty of reasons to get signed up NOW!!

We hope to look at the registration list tomorrow evening and see another 10-20 names on the list, even if most of them are for remote attendance. It's OK (even though we want to see you in person).

So, don't wait. Don't hesitate. Go to the Fall 2026 FPAW Meeting page and register now!

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs

Hello FPAW community!

As Harry Caray used to say, "Holy Cow!" We have some PRIMO nominees for the four (4) three-year FPAW Steering Committee (SC) senior positions that will be available on October 1, 2026.

And now, here are the candidates!

Providers (1 opening)
Jesse Heers           Campbell Scientific
Dave Hubner          Baron Weather

RED & Academia (1 opening)
Rick DiMaio            Lewis University
Leonid Nichman    National Research Council Canada
Matt Wandishin       NOAA Global Systems Laboratory

Users (2 openings)
Christian Amaral     ALPA
Eric Avila                 NATCA
Doug Lotter             ADF

If all goes as planned (it never does), the FPAW SC will be voting in the next two weeks, and we will identify and confirm the new members by the middle of September, just in time to turn right around and select the first ever, CHARTER student member of the FPAW SC.

So, stay tuned to this channel, and we'll provide you with updates as soon as possible.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs