EC-69/Doc.12.2(2), DRAFT 1, p. 5

World Meteorological Organization
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Sixty-Ninth Session
Geneva, 10 to 17 May 2017 / EC-69/Doc.12.2(2)
Submitted by:
Secretary-General
5.V.2017
DRAFT 1

AGENDA ITEM 12: PARTNERSHIPS

AGENDA ITEM 12.2: PUBLIC-PRIVATE ENGAGEMENT

POTENTIAL FUTURE COLLABORATION OF WMO AND IATA ON THE OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMDAR PROGRAMME

SUMMARY

DECISIONS/ACTIONS REQUIRED:

Adopt draft Decision 12.2(2)/1 — Potential future collaboration of WMO and IATA on the operation and development of the AMDAR Programme.

CONTENT OF DOCUMENT:

The Table of Contents is available only electronically as a Document Map[*].

DRAFT DECISION

Draft Decision 12.2(2)/1 (EC-69)

Potential FUTURE COLLABORATION OF WMO AND IATA ON THE OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMDAR PROGRAMME

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL,

Noting:

(1) The WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) Implementation Plan for the Evolution of Global Observing Systems (EGOS-IP) action G21, which is seeking to establish agreements with airlines and the aviation industry to ensure that the system, infrastructure, data and communications protocols are supported and standardized within relevant aviation industry frameworks so as to ensure continuity and reliability of the system, with Performance Indicator: Agreements made with aviation industry partners and organizations,

(2) That the International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing its Member airlines and other aviation entities, has approached WMO to consider a proposal for the two organizations to work together towards the possible future establishment of a collaborative arrangement for the continued operation, expansion and enhancement of the WMO Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) Programme,

Recalling WMO Resolution 40, which adopts the practice that, in addition to Members providing free and unrestricted basic essential data and products which are necessary for the provision of services in support of the protection of life and property and the well-being of all nations, also urges that Members should also provide the additional data and products which are required to sustain WMO Programmes at the global, regional, and national levels and, further, as agreed, to assist other Members in the provision of meteorological services in their countries,

Noting further:

(1) The growth over the past several decades of the AMDAR observing system and the volume of aircraft-based observations on the GTS that contribute to the significant positive impact on meteorological forecasting (including support to aviation) and other applications as a critical component of the GOS, WIGOS and the World Weather Watch Programme,

(2) The contribution of the aviation industry and AMDAR partner airlines to the operation of the AMDAR Programme as a mutually beneficial Public Private Partnership,

(3) Under the definitions of Annex 4 of WMO Resolution 40 (Cg-XII), aircraft-based observational data derived from the AMDAR programme and shared by Members, is defined as additional data,

Recognizing that IATA member airlines that participate in the AMDAR Programme provide AMDAR data to be used by WMO Members for meteorological and climate purposes and applications while retaining ownership of the AMDAR data,

Mindful that any collaboration would endeavour to preserve the current status of the availability of AMDAR data to WMO Members on the GTS under Resolution 40 (Cg-XII) as additional data, while at the same time ensuring that the data is securely managed on behalf of partner airlines as the data owners;

Having been informed that, under the collaboration, IATA wishes to actively assist WMO in the expansion and enhancement of the AMDAR Programme, particularly through greater airline participation (especially in data sparse regions) and the developments of wider turbulence reporting and water vapour measurement,

Satisfied that IATA fulfils the United Nations Global Compact Ten Principles;

Endorses the establishment of a Working Arrangement between WMO and IATA under which the two organizations would work together to develop the terms of reference and concept of operations for future collaboration on AMDAR;

Requests the Secretary-General, in coordination with the president of the Commission for Basic Systems, to work with IATA to further finalize and establish the Working Arrangement between WMO and IATA and to subsequently develop the concept of operations for the future possible collaboration of WMO and IATA on the operation and development of the AMDAR Programme.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION SUPPORTING DECISION

NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SESSION REPORT

Reference:

Website of the International Air Transport Association (IATA): http://www.iata.org/about/pages/index.aspx

Introduction

In late 2016, members of the Secretariat of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), approached WMO to inform that, at the behest of its member airlines, it had undertaken a study on the operation of the WMO AMDAR Programme, which had made the following recommendations:

(a) IATA to work with WMO to expand the AMDAR Programme across the globe and establish a more equitable cost-recovery mechanism for the participating airlines;

(b) IATA to set up a global turbulence database with real-time data transmission to airlines during flight operations.

During an initial meeting between representatives of the Secretariats of WMO and IATA, held in Geneva on 12 December 2016, it was agreed that there appeared to be significant advantages and mutual benefits to their respective Members, if a formal collaboration on the future operation of the AMDAR Programme were to be established. The proposed decision of the Executive Council would establish a Working Arrangement under which the two organizations would work together to develop the terms of reference and concept of operations, based on which a future collaboration on AMDAR might be defined and later approved by a subsequent decision of the Executive Council. It is understood that under the Working Arrangement, neither IATA nor WMO have committed to pursuing this initiative, but merely reflects the potential partnership that the parties are currently contemplating and discussing.

Background

The WMO (WMO) Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) is the automated measurement and transmission of meteorological (MET) data from an aircraft platform. The AMDAR Programme operates as a Public-Private Partnership under which AMDAR data collected by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) from partner airlines is made available to the global meteorological community under WMO Resolution 40. AMDAR data is very valued as a source of high quality upper-air meteorological observations, for its ability to increase forecasting accuracy and for its demonstrated positive impact on many application areas, including but not limited to Numerical Weather Prediction and aeronautical meteorology.

While the programme has been successfully functioning in Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania, other areas such as Africa, Southern and Central America, the areas of Eastern Europe, Western Asia, the Southwest Pacific and the Middle East remain data sparse, often due to limited funding available in these regions for programme expansion.

Acknowledging the benefits of the AMDAR data to both the meteorological community and the aviation industry and the considerable resources WMO Members have committed to developing and operating the programme, it is envisaged that IATA and WMO Members might benefit greatly from a collaborative approach to the future operation of the AMDAR Programme that would seek to expand the programme to new geographical areas whilst introducing new measures to give participating airlines better control over, and access to, the data they provide to the programme.

WMO and IATA would initially work on the establishment of a Working Arrangement (see annex attached – English only) and would then subsequently, under the Working Arrangement, work together on further describing the possible terms of reference and the concept of operations under which the AMDAR Programme might function in the future under a potential IATA-WMO collaboration.

The Terms of Reference for the IATA-WMO collaboration would establish the principles upon which the potential collaboration would be based.

A Concept of Operations (CONOP) document would develop and outline in detail the functional mechanisms and concepts upon which the AMDAR Programme would operate under the IATA-WMO collaboration.

Based upon initial discussions, the development of the collaboration would likely explore and elaborate on the following concepts and ideas:

(a) The centralization of contractual arrangements and accounting for the operation of the AMDAR Programme under the management of IATA and WMO on behalf of their Members;

(b) The establishment of a jointly-managed AMDAR Programme Expansion Fund (APEF) that would support the further expansion and enhancement of the AMDAR Programme, including turbulence monitoring and water vapour measurement;

(c) A simplified and centralized fee structure that would support both the operation of the programme and its expansion and enhancement via the APEF and the shared availability of AMDAR data in accordance with WMO Resolution 40;

(d) Mechanisms for funding further AMDAR expansion and development, particularly for least developed and developing countries through the APEF. For example, grants, revenue from data commercialization by IATA, etc.;

(e) Agreement by WMO Members to securely manage AMDAR data so as to protect the airline’s ownership of the data;

(f) Encouraging and facilitating participation in the AMDAR Programme, by all airlines, with a focus on those operating in currently data-sparse areas;

(g) Working with the aviation industry, including equipment manufacturers and data service providers to encourage greater efficiencies and cost reductions in the development and deployment of AMDAR infrastructure and services, such as for example, AMDAR software and data communications;

(h) Expansion of turbulence monitoring and support by IATA for its enhanced utilization by airlines operationally.

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Annex:1 (available in English only)

ANNEX

Draft Working Arrangement

(available in English only)

WORKING ARRANGEMENT

BETWEEN

the International Air Transport Association

(IATA)

AND

the World Meteorological Organization

(WMO)

On the Operation of the AMDAR Programme

May 2017

The World Meteorological Organization, hereinafter referred to as ‘WMO’ is an intergovernmental organization having its seat at Geneva, Switzerland. WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) and is the UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans and land as well as the climate it produces. The WMO’s mandate is to provide world leadership in expertise and international cooperation in weather, climate, hydrology and water resources and related environmental issues and thereby contribute to the safety and well-being of people throughout the world and to the economic benefit of all nations.

The International Air Transport Association, hereinafter referred to as ‘IATA’ is an international, non-governmental organization having its seat at Montreal, Canada. It is the prime vehicle for inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services – for the benefit of the world’s consumers.

IATA and WMO agree to discuss the establishment of a working arrangement regarding cooperation relative to matters of the automated measurement and transmission of meteorological (MET) data from an aircraft platform, currently operational as the WMO Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) programme and recognised as a key component of the WMO Global Observing System.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) is the automated measurement and transmission of meteorological (MET) data from an aircraft platform. AMDAR data collected by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) from the airlines through the AMDAR Programme is of high value to the global meteorological community for its ability to increase forecasting accuracy, for all users of weather forecasts, including aviation.

While the programme has been successfully functioning in Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania, other areas such as Africa, Southern and Central America, the areas of Eastern Europe, Western Asia, the Southwest Pacific and the Middle East remain data sparse often due to limited funding available in these regions for programme expansion.

Acknowledging the benefits of the AMDAR data to the meteorological community and, consequently, the aviation industry through improved meteorological forecast accuracy[1], IATA and WMO would jointly work on expanding the programme to new geographical areas whilst introducing new measures to give participating airlines better control over, and access to, the data they provide to the programme. This Working Arrangement envisages cooperation intended to achieve these objectives, and requests WMO Members and IATA member airlines to express their interest in this effort.

This Working Arrangement merely reflects the potential collaboration that the parties are currently contemplating and discussing.

The potential collaboration would be in compliance with WMO Resolution 40 (Cg-XII) - WMO policy and practice for the exchange of meteorological and related and products including guidelines on relationships in commercial meteorological activities[2].

The potential partnership would respect the UN Global Compact Ten Principles.

BACKGROUND

The Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) observing system was established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in collaboration with participating airline partners, commencing initial operations in the late 1980s. AMDAR facilitates the automated measurement and transmission of meteorological data (observations) from an aircraft platform. The system predominantly uses existing aircraft onboard sensors (the preferred and complete AMDAR configuration requires the addition of a water vapour measurement sensor to the aircraft platform) and is enabled by a specially-developed AMDAR avionics software application that ensures that the data produced meets meteorological requirements and specifications for data reporting and quality. The resulting AMDAR data is currently collected by the airlines within the WMO AMDAR Programme and then forwarded to the partner National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (NMHS), which is then responsible for making the data available on the WMO Global Telecommunications System (GTS) under the conditions of WMO Resolution 40 (Cg-XII). The data is of high value to the global meteorological community because, where implemented, it has good spatial and temporal resolution, has a significant and demonstrable positive impact on error reduction and forecast improvement to numerical weather prediction (NWP) and is useful in many other applications that require upper-air meteorological observations. The programme provides high-quality upper-air observations that complement traditional radiosonde observations, which are too sparse in many regions. In addition to its use in NWP in support of operational weather forecasts, AMDAR data is extensively used within most other meteorological monitoring, forecasting and verification applications used by NMHSs, thus contributing to the general public good through socioeconomic development and civil protection. The demonstrated significant positive impact of AMDAR data on NWP, other forecasting applications and aeronautical meteorological products, means that the observing system operation also strongly benefits all airlines (IATA members and non-members) and the wider air transport industry. AMDAR data, mainly due but not limited to their benefit of significant error reduction in NWP, is a critical component of the operation of two World Area Forecast Centres (WAFCs) within ICAO’s World Area Forecast System (WAFS), supplying airlines and other aeronautical users with global forecast data of upper-air wind, temperature and other critical parameters used in flight planning and operations.