News

Good evening, aviation weather afficionados.

What's that sound, you ask? It's the clock, running out of time to register for the Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting!

I am reminded of something my colleague and good friend Bill Bauman once said, namely that "If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done." Bill doesn't claim to be the originator, but still, I think it's a pretty cool and appropriate statement, one certainly applicable to our upcoming meeting. Why? Because in less than 48 hours, registration for the Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting will close!

Now, you definitely won't want to miss this meeting, for a couple of reasons.

1. All three of the main sessions will feature 2-way conversations (not lectures) on topics guaranteed to be at times professorial (can't help it, being at an institution of higher learning), profound (just look at the presenters and panelists!) and provocative (expect nothing less from FPAW).
2. WINGS! Yes, attendance at and (very important) active participation in many or most of the sessions in this and every subsequent FPAW meeting will result in WINGS credits being able to be claimed by airmen enrolled in this very important FAA-sponsored training program.

And the key to participation is...

REGISTER, right here. Do it now, right before you file your Federal taxes. After all, and unlike those taxes, IT'S FREE!

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

Good evening, fellow aviation weather wizards.

The Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting is just over a week away. It will be held on the campus of the Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK from Tuesday, April 21st through Thursday, April 23rd. The session co-leads are finalizing their programs, and getting their presenters and panelists primed to deliver nothing but first class material and engage in relevant and stimulating discussions with you, the FPAW membership.

But, in order to partake, you need to register. And we are compelled to point out that registration for the meeting closes this coming Friday, 4-17-26, and that the MS Outlook calendar invitations to the meeting will be sent out to registrants shortly thereafter.

So, don't wait. Don't hesitate. Register now!

Oh, and here's a couple teasers:

1. We expect to be pushing out revised, simplified meeting location information in the next day or two, so pay attention to these FPAW Newsletters and the Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting web page for the latest.
2. We continue to think that WINGS credits may be available for those who attend these meetings, either in person or remotely. Again, stay tuned to these FPAW Newsletters for the latest, greatest information.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs

Happy Friday evening, FPAW Fanatics.

The Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting is coming together nicely, with 127 attendees having eagerly registered for the meeting. There are at least 13 more presenters/panelists that will be signing up in the coming days, and I anticipate that our final count will be somewhere between 160-180 participants.

The leads have been sharpening their programs, engaging premiere presenters and panelists in each of their sessions, as reflected in the updated agenda on the meeting website. Our excellent Oklahoma State University hosts, Gus de Azevedo, Jamey Jacob and Trinity Patton, are finalizing their first-class meeting arrangements - it seems obvious to me that they're intent on raising the FPAW Meeting logistics bar to another level. 

Given the above, there's clearly only one big thing missing - YOU!

So, register for the meeting. Although we'd love for you to be there in person, you can always opt for remote participation. And, unlike almost every other industry conference out there, do I need to remind you that attending FPAW meetings, and becoming an FPAW member, are totally, completely FREE?

Join us. We look forward to seeing/hearing you.

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

Greetings, FPAW Community.

On behalf of FPAW colleague Kevin Adkins, we are pleased to pass along the information below regarding the ISARRA 2026 conference.
*********************************
ISARRA 2026 – At a Glance

• A call for abstracts is now open and closes on Monday, April 24, 2026. Acceptance notifications will be sent on Friday, May 18, 2026.
• Please note that there may be limited availability at hotels due to the beginning of the fall semester (August 24) and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway (August 28). Please book early!!!
• If you're looking for a specific lodging suggestion from the list provided, I might suggest The Daytona Autograph Collection.
• Please heed our advisory on campus parking. With enough demand and coordination, The Daytona Autograph Collection hotel has provided transport to campus in the past.
• This year's Flight Week will investigate variability in the lower atmosphere associated with land–sea and land–river breeze circulations, as well as assess how these processes influence the timing, location, and evolution of convective initiation along the coast. Specific lodging suggestions for Flight Week will be forthcoming.

Good evening, fellow FPAW-ers.

I continue to be more and more stoked by the agenda for the upcoming Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting, the people who have committed to participate, and the number of registrants.

Regarding the first item, I've updated the Draft Agenda on the meeting website with the latest participant information. Let me cut right to the chase and say that if you've been wanting to rub elbows with luminaries in the field of aviation weather, this is your opportunity, provided that you attend in person! We've got some true giants that are planning to be in the room with us in Stillwater, OK on the campus of Oklahoma State University.

And speaking of in the room, we already have 103 registrants, of whom nearly 40% are planning to be there in the flesh. While unlikely, it's possible that we could get close to a SRO situation, especially if our efforts to link up with the FAA's WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program come to fruition in the next four weeks.

So, what are you waiting for? Go to the meeting website and register! Did I mention that it's always FREE to attend an FPAW meeting, either in person or virtually?

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

P.S. If you are planning to attend in person, check out the meeting hotel link. The SpringHill Suites by Marriott – Stillwater is offering a rate whose bottom line is less than the Federal per diem!

Good afternoon, all.

I've been managing the FPAW hybrid meeting registration process hands-on for almost five years, and would assert without proof that I've gained a "feel" for how the numbers evolve over time, e.g., the changes that happen when certain organizations remind their folks about the meeting, or when successful social media posts are made, or as we draw closer to the actual meeting date. With that as context, I must say that I'm particularly excited to report that we have 81 registrants on the books right now (less than two weeks after the registration form went live), of whom 32 say they'll attend in person. Not only is the total number quite good for six weeks out, but the in-person percentage (>33%) is also very encouraging, even with quite a few in-person presenters, panelists and students who have yet to register.

Speaking of that, if you are, or intend to be, an in-person participant, and you will be needing hotel accommodations, we are happy to announce that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott - Stillwater is the official hotel for this meeting. They are offering a tax exempt rate for a king room that is slightly less than the Federal per diem of $110 room + $17.95 taxes/night. If you wish to join me there (I just booked), call the hotel directly at 405-564-7173, identify yourself as an FPAW Meeting participant, and use group code FPAA for a king room at $119/night tax exempt or, if needed, group code FPAB for a room with two queen beds at $129/night tax exempt. But hurry - the block of rooms being held for us will be released to the general public in ten days, on March 21, 2026!

Finally, Nathan and I recently met with a member of the FAAST (FAA Safety Team) who is deeply involved in the WINGS pilot proficiency program (thank you to FPAW Steering Committee member Gordy Rother for arranging the connection). One of the ways the WINGS program attempts to increase pilot proficiency is through ground-based education. Pilots who successfully participate in WINGS-approved training may receive WINGS Credits. These credits can be used to offset some of their required annual, expensive in situ training and checks. The WINGS program has lots and lots of course offerings; some are free, while others are not. To my eye, most are focused on pilotage, the aviation system and processes, and maintenance. Not surprisingly, only a small percentage appear primarily oriented around aviation weather (a major exception being the courses put on by the FAA, including FPAW SC member Ian Johnson, at the annual Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, FL), which helps explain the enthusiastic response we received during our initial discussions with the FAAST representative.

We are scheduled to meet with one more key WINGS point of contact in less than two weeks. If that meeting goes well, we anticipate that FPAW will be added to the list of approved course providers on the WINGS page shortly thereafter, possibly in time for the inclusion of the Spring Meeting sessions. Stay tuned to this most exciting of topics!

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

Hello, aviation weather aficionados!

I find that "telling on myself" is a very effective way to keep my ego in check. That may be why I do it all the time. On the other hand, it may just be that the way I operate provides lots of opportunities to mess up. Who knows?

Regardless (and in keeping with my Catholic upbringing), I must confess that I absolutely dropped the ball on getting the Organization page on our website updated after our new FPAW Co-Chair was selected and SEVEN (FPAW record!) open slots on the FPAW Steering Committee (SC) were filled last fall. A very polite reminder earlier this week motivated me to get to work, and I'm happy to share that the organizational information on the FPAW website is now up to date.

I want to sincerely apologize for the long delay to my new partner in crime, FPAW Co-Chair Nathan Polderman, returning FPAW SC member Elizabeth Wilson, and new FPAW SC members Christian Amaral, Gus de Azevedo, David Dillahunt, Scott Landolt, Gordy Rother and Beth Welliver.

Finally, let me offer that, after six months of observing and working with each, the FPAW community could not be any luckier to be supported by each and every one.

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

Good evening, all.

Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting Registration

We've been VERY pleased with the number of registrations we've had for the Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting. In four full days (only two of which were business days), we've already had 47 registrations, including an early student participant from OU. We may end up with impressively large attendance numbers when all is said and done.

For those of you who have yet to register, you will notice a couple of changes in the registration form.

• A successful registration produces a confirmation message and an email, both of which now contain links to meeting placeholders for your calendars (.ics files). Unlike our first attempt, it appears that as of today these links work correctly (at least on Matt's computer). Early registrants who were unable to get the placeholder links to work properly can reach out to Matt at mfronzak@mitre.org and he will send you the meeting placeholder .ics files.
• U.S. citizens do not have to make any entries in the Country of Citizenship box. For non-U.S. citizens, please overwrite "United States" in that box with the first several letters of your country's name. The system will produce a drop-down box from which you should be able to select your country.

We will have some updated meeting logistics information available on the web site very soon. In addition, we hope that ongoing discussions will lead to the identification of an official Spring 2026 FPAW Meeting hotel at Federal per diem rates. Stay tuned for both.

Contact Form

It would appear there is a glitch with the contact form on the FPAW web site (https://fpaw.aero/contact) used to send messages to FPAW leadership. Until the problem is identified and resolved, feel free to reach out directly to Matt at mfronzak@mitre.org with your questions or comments.

Matt Fronzak and Nathan Polderman
FPAW Co-Chairs