Rockwell Collins is broadening its aircraft observation weather research program with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve the accuracy of forecasts for the aviation industry and general public. Research will expand to include coverage over sparse areas of the U.S.—including the upper Midwest, Alaska and Pacific Ocean areas—allowing the National Weather Service (NWS) to get complete weather data for the entire country.

“This is a great opportunity to make valuable use of data about the weather conditions encountered on many of the routes we fly,” said Bob Frisch, vice president, flight operations for regional airline Air Wisconsin, one of the newest participating airlines in the program. “Conditions in the Midwest and Northeast can at times be particularly challenging, so the more we can accurately forecast and plan for these situations, the better we can improve route planning to enhance safety, passenger comfort and our ability to efficiently manage our operation.”

Since 1991, Rockwell Collins’ ARINC meteorological data collection and reporting system has gathered information from airliners on factors such as wind speed, air temperature and turbulence for the NWS and FAA. Measurement of humidity via water-vapor data was added in 2007, aiding thunderstorm forecasting.

“Better forecasting of severe weather has clear benefits for the aviation industry, such as improving passenger safety and flight routes while saving costs by reducing unplanned deviations,” said David Poltorak, Rockwell Collins vice president of aviation and network services. “The continued expansion of this program is enabling better predictability and preparedness for weather events,” he added.