News

2024-10-22

Good evening, all.

Well, we're inside a week until the start of the Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting, whose lineup of speakers and topics appears absolutely top notch. I can hardly wait to hear the exchange of information and ideas that's going to take place next TUE-THU! You, too, should be equally excited - but only if you join the 176 other aviation weather enthusiasts who have already registered for the meeting. Doggone it, you're saying - if only I knew how to register. Well, just follow this link, scroll down the page, take 90 seconds to input your bona fides and, "Voila," you're in.

Speaking of "you're in," the pre-meeting tours on WED and THU mornings, described in the detailed agenda here, are going to be outstanding. And, given that there will be a maximum of 30 participants allowed on the tour each day, and that there are 76 in-person registrants (so-far), they're likely to fill up. So, to give our host, Starr McGettigan, a reasonable idea of how many folks to expect each day, we're going to allow in-person registrants to sign up for the tours ahead of time. That's right - starting right now!

How does one do this, you ask? Well, you send ME (mfronzak@mitre.org) an email and tell me the tour(s) you want to get signed up for. To do so, you will need to (1) be registered as an In-Person participant, and (2) send me your name and cell number (since I already have your email). That's it. I'll post electronic versions of the sign-up sheets on the Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting web site in the next 1-2 days, so everyone can see how things are trending.

So, do not delay, do not dilly-dally. Get registered and, if you're planning to attend in person, let me know the pre-meeting tours (one or both) that you'd like to take part in.

Matt Fronzak
FPAW Co-Chair

2024-10-21

Good evening, all.

We are one week (and a few hours) from the start of the Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting. And what a meeting it is going to be.

We've got new info on the FAA's flagship weather systems, Common Support Services - Weather (CSS-Wx) and NextGen Weather Processor (NWP), both of which reached initial operating capability (IOC) a little over a month ago. We've got a glimpse into the Art of the Possible, including ways of looking at aviation weather problems inside out. And we've got a look into the (not-too-distant) future, with a great AI and Aviation Weather session.

But, as Ron Popeil used to say (IYKYK), wait, there's more. The FAA Weather Community of Interest (Wx COI) will be sharing a look at its lineup of problem statements, and doing a deep dive into one that was submitted by industry. New and returning members of the FPAW Steering Committee will have an opportunity to (re)introduce themselves. And, given that we're at the FAA WJHTC, we'll experience some AWESOME in- person tours and demonstrations, both pre-meeting and in-meeting.

So, what are you waiting for? Register for the meeting. It's free. But do so very, very soon, and especially if you plan to attend in person*.

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs

*Note: Only U.S. citizens will be allowed to register for In-Person attendance at the meeting this week, as the window to approve non-U.S. citizens for in-person admission to the meeting has now closed. Registration will close for everyone on Thursday, 10-24-24 at 5:00 PM EDT.

2024-10-10

Good evening, all.

The pieces and parts have finally, finally come together. And, boy, what a picture they paint. The Fall 2024 FPAW meeting may be the bar against which all other FPAW meetings are measured. The linked agenda has all the details.

One thing you'll want to take note of is the meeting location, and the associated implications. Too obtuse? Think kid in an aviation candy store. In-person attendees at the FAA WJHTC in Atlantic City will be afforded the opportunity to see high tech aviation labs and one-of-a-kind aviation technology demonstrations that, quite frankly, will be like nothing else available on the planet.

Another detail is the meeting content. CSS-Wx and NWP! Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Aviation Weather! The Art of the Possible! These are timely, relevant and intensely interesting major topics.

And the session co-leads, presenters and panelists are just absolutely top notch.

So, here is our advice:

1. Register for the meeting at the FPAW web site.
2. Do so as an In-Person participant if at all possible, to take advantage of the in-meeting demonstrations and pre-meeting tours that will not be available to Remote attendees.
3. Tell your aviation weather friends and partners about FPAW, and encourage them to register for the meeting, too. Did we mention that it's free?
4. Do so quickly, so that we can be sure to have enough space and resources for everybody.

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs

P.S. Costumes are optional for Day 3. However, we'll have some Halloween candy available for In-Person attendees. Booooo...

2024-09-22

Good Sunday evening to you all.

We hope your favorite team(s) won this weekend (Matthias' Buffs and Broncos both did). But even if they didn't, you can win by registering for the Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting, which will take place from Tuesday-Thursday, October 29-31, 2024 at the FAA Tech Center (FAATC) in Atlantic City, NJ. For non-U.S. citizens planning to attend in person, it is especially important that you do so by the end of the upcoming week (September 27, 2024), as we need to send your information to the FAA security folks at the FAATC 30 days ahead of the meeting.

On the fence about attending in person? We hope to have a more detailed agenda published in the next week in place of the current preview, and when you see it, we're confident that you'll come off the fence and want to register for in-person attendance at the meeting.

Why? Well, the three long session topics (NWP/CSS-Wx Update, The Art of the Possible, AI and Aviation Weather), their session leads and presenters/panelists are outstanding! And since we're at the FAATC, it should come as no surprise that the long sessions will have lab tours and interactive demos embedded in their schedules. In addition, our FAATC hosts will be offering pre-meeting tours of some of the most interesting, one-of-a-kind labs housed at the FAATC on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Talk about being like a kid in an aviation candy store!

So, no more dilly-dallying. Register, and please attend in person if at all possible. You won't regret it!

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs

P.S. If you're wondering how one gets to Atlantic City, NJ, Spirit Airlines flies to ACY nonstop out of several airports in Florida. And every airline has flights into Philadelphia, from which it is a just short 1-hour drive to the Tech Center. So, get your hotel and car reservations made, and join us at the FAATC next month.

2024-09-04

Good day, fellow aviation weather enthusiasts.

The FPAW Steering Committee (SC), which was formed two years ago, is comprised of thirteen individuals. Four represent the Aviation Weather Users community, four more represent the Aviation Weather Researchers, Engineers, Developers (RED) and Academia constituency, three represent the Aviation Weather Providers community and two represent Aviation Weather Regulators. More information about the FPAW SC can be found on the FPAW web page under the Organization tab.

Each year, based on the way the FPAW SC was set up, the terms of either four or five current SC members come to an end. Because there are no term limits, those members cycling off the FPAW SC are eligible to be re-elected and serve a new three-year term. In mid-September 2024, the members of the 2023-2024 FPAW SC, including those members cycling off, will use a voting process to select the individuals to fill the open slots.

At the Spring 2024 FPAW Meeting, and via both the FPAW web site and these emailed newsletters, we advertised that there would be five available three-year slots on the FPAW SC starting on October 1, 2023. Two of the slots will represent the RED & Academia constituency, and one each will represent the Providers, Regulators and Users communities.

We are pleased to announce that 10 Aviation Weather professionals have officially submitted their names for consideration for the five upcoming slots. They are listed in the table below, along with their organizational affiliation and the constituency they would represent. Current FPAW SC members who have indicated their desire to return to the group for another 3-year term (i.e., incumbents) are shown with a parenthetical (I) after their last name. The number of open slots within each constituency group is also shown parenthetically.

First Name Last Name Organization Constituency (# Open Slots)
       
Jesse Heers Campbell Scientific Providers (1)
Stephen Lloyd BlueHalo Providers (1)
Jeff Weinrich IMSG Providers (1)
       
Steve Darr Dynamic Aerspace RED & Academia (2)
Kim Elmore University of Oklahoma RED & Academia (2)
Ian Johnson (I) FAA RED & Academia (2)
Michael Splitt Florida Institute of Technology  RED & Academia (2)
       
Marilyn Pearson (I) CAE Regulators (1)
       
David Dillahunt Southwest Airlines Users (1)
Nathan Polderman (I)  United Airlines Users (1)

This is for your information only. We will advise you on the results of the voting and the makeup of the 2024-2025 FPAW Steering Committee as soon as we are able.

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs

2024-08-31

Good day all,

This a quick, two-part reminder:

1. The Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting preview is up on the FPAW web site here. Take a peek - it's going to be an EXCELLENT meeting!

2. The registration form for said meeting is also on the same page, beneath the preview. Because of where the meeting is  taking place (FAATC) and what is required to enable access to the facility, registration for in-person attendees is vital and will be closing relatively early. So, do not delay - get yourself registered and ready to head to Atlantic City in late October!

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs

P.S. Ten outstanding individuals have self-nominated for the five upcoming FPAW Steering Committee openings. Stay tuned for details on the candidates, followed by results of the voting, over the coming weeks.

2024-08-29

Happy Thursday before a L-O-O-O-N-G Weekend!!

This is a reminder to everyone that can hear our digital voices that your opportunity to self-nominate for one of the upcoming three-year positions (October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2027) on the FPAW Steering Committee (SC) will close in just over 24 hours (COB EDT tomorrow, Friday, 8-30-24). We already have 10 self-nominations for the five openings but we could surely use, oh, two more to get to a dozen!

And how is this FPAW SC self-nomination thing done, you ask? It's easy -- send an email to Matthias (msteiner@ucar.edu) and me (mfronzak@mitre.org) with your expression of interest, including the constituency you would propose to represent, in the body of the email, and your current C/V attached. That's all there is to it!

So, stop procrastinating and throw your name in the FPAW SC hat!! 

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs

2024-08-25

Good Sunday to you all!

Matthias and I are pleased to let you know that a preview of the Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting is now available on the FPAW web site here. I can only speak for myself, but I AM SO EXCITED about what we're going to hear, see, discuss, experience, and touch from Tuesday, October 29, 2024 through Thursday, October 31, 2024. Side note -- costumes are optional for the final day of the meeting (AKA Halloween).

You may be asking yourself "What's with the 'experience and touch' references?" Well, multiple interactive tours and demonstrations of the techno-geekery housed at the FAA William J. Hughes Center for Advanced Aerospace (formerly the FAA Technical Center) will be made available to in-person FPAW attendees. While we will be doing our very best to share them with the virtual FPAW audience, it is not clear how or even if we will be able to do so, and I feel certain that the experience of the in-person attendees will be far, far superior.

So, don't waste any time. Start making your ACY travel plans NOW, block October 29-31, 2024 on your calendars, stay tuned for guidance on when the Fall 2024 FPAW Meeting registration page goes live, and come join us in person at the FAA Center for Advanced Aerospace in a little over two months!

Matt Fronzak and Matthias Steiner
FPAW Co-Chairs