An Air Traffic Control Wind Compression Forecasting Tool for the TRACON Environment

Abstract

Strong wind in the lower levels of the atmosphere near major airports can impact normal air traffic control (ATC) operations with respect to the horizontal spacing of aircraft. This is known in the ATC community as wind compression. Wind compression occurs when a strong wind from a specific direction and speed (at critical altitudes) impact normal ATC operations. The impact of wind compression becomes most noticeable when the spacing between aircraft decreases near or below minimal acceptable limits. Previous attempts to forecast wind compression have been unsuccessful. Wind shear calculations, time, height wind forecasts, and maximum winds below a certain altitude, such as 3050 m (10 000 ft), do not adequately convey the impact of wind compression. These methods are insufficient because they do not account for the flight profile of the numerous arrival routes that aircraft must travel to land at major airports. The Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Wind Compression Tool assists aviation forecasters in determining which arrival routes are impacted and the specific layers of the approach that are susceptible to wind compression. This program (1) diagnoses five different layers on an arrival route that may have potential wind compression impacts and (2) forecasts the onset and end of a compression event, the altitudes impacted, and the relative strength of the wind compression. Key information using the wind forecast from three National Weather Service models is condensed for each model hour and is placed into a timeline forecast.