Sharing of Turbulence Information Expands - Turbulence-Focused Platform
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) introduced Turbulence Aware, a groundbreaking platform, in December 2018, in collaboration with Snowflake Software. This innovative tool has significantly enhanced turbulence prediction and air travel safety for a vast number of passengers worldwide.
- Improved Data Sharing and Collaboration
Turbulence Aware facilitates real-time sharing of turbulence data among airlines, meteorologists, and other aviation stakeholders. This collaborative data ecosystem helps create a more comprehensive and timely picture of turbulence conditions globally.
- Enhanced Turbulence Forecasting
By integrating multiple data sources—including pilot reports, weather models, and sensor data—the platform improves the accuracy and granularity of turbulence forecasts. This helps airlines make better operational decisions regarding routing and altitude selection.
- Proactive Safety Measures
With more reliable turbulence information, airlines can proactively manage flight paths, reduce exposure to severe turbulence, and minimise the risk of injuries to passengers and crew caused by sudden turbulence encounters.
- Operational Efficiency
Better turbulence awareness helps optimise fuel consumption by enabling smoother route planning and avoiding unnecessary deviations or holding patterns, contributing to cost savings for airlines.
- Passenger Experience
Reduced encounters with unexpected turbulence improve comfort and confidence in air travel, enhancing overall passenger satisfaction.
- Safety and Privacy
The turbulence data sharing program anonymously protects the privacy of airline's commercial operations. This ensures that sensitive information remains confidential while still allowing for effective turbulence prediction and avoidance.
- Real-time Access and Usage
Cockpit teams can access Turbulence Aware through tablet PCs, enabling them to make small changes in the plane's route to avoid turbulence. The application allows pilots to see the severity of possible turbulence points on the route instantly.
In summary, the Turbulence Aware platform has leveraged data sharing and advanced analytics to provide more accurate and timely turbulence predictions, thereby supporting safer flights, more efficient operations, and a better passenger experience. The participating airlines, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air France, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, EasyJet, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Southwest, Swiss, and WestJet, are committed to ensuring a smoother and safer journey for their passengers.
- The collaboration between IATA and Snowflake Software has expanded the reach of turbulence prediction beyond weather models and pilot reports, incorporating data-and-cloud-computing technologies to further advance turbulence prediction and enhance the overall aerospace industry.
- By leveraging technology and finance, the implementation of Turbulence Aware has revolutionized the industry, impacting not only flight safety but also the connectivity, efficiency, and comfort within the finance, aerospace, and data-and-cloud-computing industries.
