Met Observations at Airports
 

May I ask on this forum what qualifications are required in the UK for an Air Traffic person to take weather observations. Who can do it? Can a AFISO do it?
And do all UK airports that report RVR's have RVR Transiometers (spelling) on the side of the runway, or is the old fashioned way of noting visibility and converting it to RVR still used anywhere?
Thanks.

You have to go on a course (two weeks I think, first at college, second at a observing station) and pay the Met Office lots of money. Anyone can do the course.

I would imagine there are still places using the 'Human Method' of RVR observing. I am sure someone will be along soon to say.

To be an met observer you must attend an met observers course with the met office (2wks in Exeter and Belfast for me). Anyone can attend I believe. At my unit (London Airport) atco's do the observing as we have no atsa's, at units with atsa's - they do it.

<<(London Airport) >>

Have they really got rid of all the ATSAs at Heathrow??

At the majority of NATS airports the observations are done by ATSA's using the SAMOS (semi automated met obsevation system) equipment. Most units now will have ATSA's who are met trainers/examiners and will include met observation as part of the overall training. The original SAMOS course was conducted by the Met office and took 3 days to complete. 2 days doing the theory and 1 day of practical observations and using the SAMOS equipmet. This mainly consisted of learning to prod, poke, cajole,hit and kick the SAMOS screen until it produced something that was at least close to the actual weather.:ugh:

Met Observer Training
 

Hi Beerdrinker
Link below gives all the information from the Met Office website. All observers must now be checked and maintain currency to comply with CAP746.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation...rtraining.html
As for human observer RVR measurement - yes there are many airfields that don't have the investment in IRVR transmissometer systems so rely on someone (properly trained and cerificated):eek: to count the lights.
C

Heathrow Director

Should have said "a london airport". Theres more than one!!

We just use the RFFS, and that has led to a few problems.

"I see 14 lights"

Sierra Hotel, that's 850 meters! :D

...of course someone did remember to tell the 19 year old airman at the RFFS
that you don't count both the left and right side and add them together....... :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Would that be electric meters, gas meters or parking meters your firefighter
was counting?

Two NATS units - Luton & Southampton - still provide METARs on the basis of 'manual' observations i.e. without SAMOS. At these locales, all ATC staff, ATCOs and ATSAs, are Met. observers having been required to undertake the two-week 'full' Met Office training course.

Nationally, it doesn't matter whether you're an ATCO, a FISO, an ATSA or a firefighter, if you've attended and passed the Met. observer course and your unit's Met. equipment is 'approved' by the Met. Office, then you can issue METARs. If not, your observations are classed as "unofficial" and must be prefixed as such when being passed by telephone or R/T. :8

Beerdrinker asked about noting visibilty and converting it to RVR. All the nice ATCOs related the question to Human Observer method, which is still available at many airfields.

There is a procedure to take the visibility given and factor it to obtain an "RVR" but this is only available to pilots, subject to any company rules. Controllers would only pass an RVR obtained by an approved method or the relevant Met vis.

Don't know any AFISO unit with RVR so a FISO would only pass Met vis and let the pilot factor it. Worrying that, flying and doing maths all at the same time!

I pity the poor met guy that has to observe this one. Yes you did read it correctly.

TAF TFFF 162130Z 170024 06025G35KT 9999 SCT013 BKN018 BECMG 0002 04040G60KT 5000 SHRA SCT013TCU SCT016CB BKN018 BKN040 TEMPO 0612 02060G100KT 1000 XXSH OR TSRA SCT013TCU SCT016CB BKN018 OVC040=

Not sure if I understand your post Julian but that is a forecast not an observation.
I suggest that if the forecast winds did eventuate the met observer would be in his/her element.... a decent bit of weather to observe!!:eek:

"Observed" a 65g85 off the wind dials at Edinburgh this spring. Up above the friction layer must have been somewhat stronger. Hard to feel in your element when you are surrounded 360 degrees by creaking glass!