Advisory
Circular
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
Subject:
AUTOMATED WEATHER
Date:
12/13/99
AC No:
OBSERVING SYSTEMS
(AWOS)
FOR
Initiated
by:
150/5220-16C
NON-FEDERAL APPLICATIONS
AUA-430
Change:
1. PURPOSE.
This advisory circular (AC)
contains the Federal
Aviation Administration's (FAA) standard
for non-Federal AWOS's.
2. CANCELLATION.
AC
150/5220-16B,
AWOS's
for Non-Federal
Applications,
dated 11/13/95, is canceled.
3. DEFINITION.
An AWOS is a computerized system that automatically
measures one or more weather parameters, analyzes the data,
prepares a weather observation that consists of the parameter(s)
measured,
and broadcasts the observation to the pilot using an
integral very high frequency (VHF) radio or an existing
navigational aid (NAVAID) which
may
provide long-line dissemination
of the observations.
4. APPLICATION.
The provisions of this AC are effective
immediately for all systems, or portions thereof, that are
submitted for type certification or for previously type-certified
systems that are submitted for modification of their type
certification certificate.
An AWOS that has been manufactured,
installed, and maintained according to the criteria in this AC
constitutes a National Weather Service (NWS)-approved source for
weather information;
is approvable as a source of weather
information that partially satisfies Federal Aviation Regulations
(FAR)
;
may
be eligible to receive a broadcast frequency assignment
or broadcast over a NAVAID; may be eligible to distribute its
weather over the national weather network;
and may be eligible for
funding under Federal grant programs.
5. CONTENT OF THIS AC.
Accordingly,
this AC provides guidance
about the program elements that should be incorporated into an
AWOS.
It provides the guidance and suggestions for one method, but
not the only method,
of complying with all pertinent regulations.
6. PRINCIPAL CHANGES.
Provides clarification as to what system
performance verification testing is,
why it is important to have
Downloaded from http://www.everyspec.com
