WSI has developed and installed a system that allows airplanes to collect weather data that is difficult to predict or measure by other means, namely turbulence. Called Total Turbulence, the software has been integrated into several commercial airliners, which are automatically distributing the data to provide information to other aircraft.
The software has the potential to help prevent injuries to flight crews and/or damage to aircraft by alerting the pilots before they enter an area of turbulence. And the real-time data helps with route planning to allow the airlines to plan the most direct route while remaining safe, which saves on operational costs. According to WSI, the cost of injuries, unnecessary maintenance and inefficient routing due to turbulent events costs the airlines around $150 million per year.
Turbulence detection data is collected through sensors in the avionics and forward-looking radar. WSI’s Turbulence Auto PIREP System (TAPS) detects turbulence and sends the data directly to the airline’s operations personnel and forecasters, and WSI. TAPS also provides winds and temperatures. Unlike a PIREP provided by a pilot, TAPS provides data that shows the precise location and start/stop times for the turbulent areas, and it does so immediately and automatically.
The data from the equipped aircraft is combined with WSI’s proprietary turbulence detection network and a globally synthesized set of data to provide the most complete picture of what the turbulent event looks like. Total Turbulence can be accessed by pilots and dispatchers through WSI Fusion or Pilotbrief Optima.
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