EUMETNET Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (E-AMDAR) Programme
Copyright Steve Morris
From the 1 January 2003, E-AMDAR became a fully integrated core component of the EUCOS Operational Programme. Programme management responsibilities were transferred from UK Met Office to the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) who is responsible member of E-AMDAR since then. The Programme Management is assigned to Stig Carlberg.
The E-AMDAR Network has seen tremendous evolution since late 1999. Daily average observation and reporting aircraft totals have risen from ~5,500 observations from 42 aircraft to the current level (Jan 2006) of ~32,000 observations from 360 aircraft globally. The average number of daily reported airports with 3 hourly profiles LinksLinksLinkshas grown from 12 to 39 during the period 2000-20005.
The aim of the Programme has been the delivery of the EUCOS objectives in the most cost effective and efficient manner – within budgetary and technical constraints. In broad terms, the objectives have been:
- To provide profiles from airports within the EUCOS Area;
- To provide 3 hourly observations over Europe;
- Generate en-route and profile data over data sparse/sensitive areas;
- Produce data in support of the WMO World Weather Watch Programme (WWW);
- Achieve a final data capture of around 13 million observations year 2006;
- Enable Members to procure additional data for national use beyond the EUCOS requirement.
Copyright Lufthansa
Of particular note is the progress with humidity sensor developments and the new relationship fostered with Airbus. At the end of 2006, the first humidity measurements from an E-AMDAR fleet have been produced within the E-AMDAR Humidity Trial in Cooperation with Lufthansa and DWD.
The original programme objectives scheduled for 2006 are proposed to remain broadly unchanged through the transition phase 2007-2008. However, there are significant challenges to ensure that the efficiency objectives are met and that the programme provides a much more uniform distribution of upper air profiles across Europe. The imperative for the transition phase must therefore be to:
- Take measures in order to get a uniform spatial and temporal coverage rather than simply increasing data volumes, including recruitment of new airlines;
- Bring the contribution to the WWW back in line with the agreed programme objectives;
- Evaluate the AMDAR humidity sensor and assess the TAMDAR technology;
- Continue the work together with Airbus, in order to get humidity sensors and suitable software as optional equipment to aircraft;
- Formulate the operational use of these sensors and thus define appropriate programme objectives for the period 2009-2011;
- Development and testing of an efficient optimisation scheme and an efficient targeting technique;
- Monitoring the WMO plans for BUFR code implementation for aircraft reports and make plans for BUFR implementation in all E-AMDAR fleets;
For the next period, 2009-2011, following E-AMDAR activities are considered to be important:
- Addition of humidity measurement capability and to formulate a deployment strategy;
- Extension of the E-AMDAR programme amongst the new EU members;
- Implementation of an efficient optimisation scheme and an efficient targeting technique;
- Introduction of true height as well as altitude reporting in the message;
- Regional aircraft measurement system introduction;
- Implementation of BUFR formatted reporting;
- Investigation of new techniques like icing and turbulence;
- Readiness for implementation of NWP resolution requirements.