ICAO Meteorological Datalink Study Group METLINKSG

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ICAO Meteorological Datalink Study Group
(METLINKSG)
Rick Heuwinkel July 2005
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METLINKSG Tasking

• Assist the ICAO Secretariat in establishing
  global Standards and Recommended Practices
  (SARPS) for aeronautical meteorology in
• Automated air reporting (downlink of
  meteorological information)
• Uplink of operational meteorological (OPMET)
  information to aircraft in flight
• Advance, and bring into global alignment, the FIS
  data-link efforts of the various contracting
  states.

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Contracting States Represented on METLINK

• AUSTRALIA
• CHINA
• CANADA
• FRANCE
• IATA (International Air Transport Association)
• IFALPA (International Federation of Airline Pilot
  Associations)
• JAPAN
• UNITED KINGDOM
• UNITED STATES
• WMO (UN World Meteorological Organization)

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METLINKSG History

• METLINKSG originated in 1991 to establish
  standards for formatting downlink meteorological
  messages (Air Reports) under ADS.
• Expanded scope has necessitated meetings on
  interval of 18 to 24 months.
• 8th meeting held February 2005 in Montreal.
• Next meeting tentatively scheduled for July 2006.
• Individual and ad-hoc groups of contracting
  states work action items between meetings.

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Work Program Topics

• Automated air reporting
• Standardization of MET parameters in ADS reports
• Standardization of a global turbulence reporting
  index
• Uplink of meteorological information
• Specifications and requirements for alphanumeric
  information
• Specifications and requirements for graphical
  information
• Crosslink of MET information
• Format of information for uplink
• Re-assessment of requirements during terminal
  operations for data-link applications

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Recent Accomplishments

• Several templates developed and incorporated for
  ICAO Annex 3, Meteorological Service for
  International Air Navigation
• METAR, Speci, TAF, SIGMET Templates for Amendment
  72, 2001
• Special AirReports, Volcanic Ash, Tropical
  Cyclone Advisories, Aerodrome Warning, and
  Windshear Warning Templates for Amendment 73,
  2004.
• GAMET Template, Amendment 74, 2007.

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Ongoing Future Work

• Develop specifications and guidance for cockpit
  display of alpha-numeric graphical products
  including nowcast products
• US regulations to be used as a basis for draft
  guidance
• Asses the most appropriate code for uplink of
  meteorological information to aircraft
• Develop template and display characteristics for
  graphical SIGMET
• Develop template and display characteristics for
  graphical AIRMET

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ICAO Interest

• The METLINKSG will be keenly interested in the
  work of RTCA SC-206, specifically
• The development of standards for the tactical
  use (versus non-control, advisory / strategic
  use of FIS/AIS products for the International
  community and
• Addressing the integration of data linked
  changes of the AIS data files
• The ICAO Secretariat has offered to host a
  meeting of the SC-206 in Montreal

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