Introducing Graphical Forecasts for Aviation

In the summer of 2014 the FAA published in the Federal Register its intent to do away with the Area Forecast (FA) and replace it with digital and graphical alternatives. The agency wrote that the FA was a broad forecast of limited value and that existing, better, alternatives existed.

jmiller

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The Experimental Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA) is replacing the traditional text-based Area Forecast (FA), consolidating diverse aviation weather information into a single interactive, graphical platform.
It introduces new "Clouds" and "Ceiling/Visibility" overlays, powered by advanced models, which are vital for instrument pilots to determine conditions at airports without TAFs and assess alternate requirements.
While the GFA offers advantages like including AIRMETs and SIGMETs, it's a computer-model-driven product, lacking human meteorological interpretation, which can lead to inconsistencies between its various forecast overlays.
Despite some operational clunkiness and the need for pilots to understand its limitations and potential model discrepancies, the GFA is becoming the essential tool for aviation weather forecasting as the FA phases out.

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In the summer of 2014 the FAA published in the Federal Register its intent to do away with the Area Forecast (FA) and replace it with digital and graphical alternatives. The agency wrote that the FA was a “broad forecast of limited value” and that better alternatives existed. We wrote about the demise of the forecast in “FA Swan Song” in our July, 2015 issue.

This January the National Weather Service released an Experimental Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA), which the Service says is a graphical replacement of the text FA. Is it? Does it contain information pilot’s need? Can you determine if an alternate is required or an airport qualifies? Let’s find out.