New NAIPS forecast format
 

The new weather forecast format was due to start today. Can't get an AFOR from NAIPS or BOM this morning. Anyone else been able to make it work?

Got one early this morning on the iPhone. Not smart phone friendly.

Can't even log in at the moment. Not working on ipad or desktop.

The new GAF's aren't working! Not good if you need a forecast to go flying this morning!

I can get TAF's from BOM site however that's it. Nothing on IPhone / Ipad etc via Naips App.:ugh::{

I can't even seem to login to the NAIPs website on my Laptop now? Thankfully not working today but I will be tomorrow, god help whomever is in charge of this when Aircraft are grounded because they can't get weather!

Ditto to all. Cant even log in now. Must have got lucky before because forecasts loaded. Didn't last very long. Is this new format going to work with the NAIPS app? Methinks not.

Still plenty of aircraft flying around, wonder how they got their forecasts? I can't even put a plan in. Tried to ring Airservices help line but gave up after 10 mins on hold.

I can see the briefing phone running hot. Melb is 8/8 blue. Not having a forecast wouldn't bother me today.

Transition failure!!!
 

Is this the safest transition CASA and airservices can bring in sudden changes. The alternative is to overload ATC over coms with flight plan entries. or is there another way to log flight plans now. (other than calling coz they are not answering)

You can get it via the BOM site. Looks like an AsA issue, not a BOM issue. What a surprise.

But you can't lodge flight plans via NAIPS either , and they are in meltdown. took me 15 minutes to get through to lodge plan. they are stressed but good natured about it at least.

BTW im sure you do know they provide planning for an area a bit bigger than Melb:)

What do you mean? Melbourne is center of the universe and all greatness...

Yes, I have heard rumors that they do other places, but why would you want to go there? :O

Because they're NOT Melbourne, that's exactly the reason why :O

Don't forget that the BOM is not an approved source of briefing material.....

I hope everyone is submitting their reports to CAsA about an organisation putting aviation safety at risk.

There are plenty of aircraft in the sky today. Where did they get their weather from then? I wonder how many aircraft would fail a RAMP check today?

"No Sir, I only planned to fly 50nm today...I got to that point then decided to fly another 50nm! I got there and, you guessed it, decided to fly YET ANOTHER 50nm!! That's why I don't have any weather..."

Great, now not only do I NOT have information above 10,000ft on there it doesn't even show WINDS above 10,000ft, why on EARTH did they remove that?! What is the damned logic behind removing it and now making us have to go get that information in yet another area?!?!?!

The guy answering the phone at ASA recommended I use the BOM site. When I told him it was offence he said he didn't know that.

Wonder how many strict liability offences are flying around the sky today?

Kaz

Looks like it's back up.

It is. What does everyone think of the new format... 'following requests from the Aviation Industry...':hmm:

You'd want to think carefully before printing out the forecast. Couldn't afford the paper I think.

I wonder if that is only because daytime demand has dropped off? It worked alright this morning too, before demand ramped up.

Can't say I'm a fan out of the gate.

The map section (the actually GAF at the bottom) is straightforward, we just need to get the winds put in there.
The wind/temp grid is way to detailed. What one do you use on big flights, average, the big one, line it up with the graphic at the bottom.
Speaking of the graphic, why is it at the very bottom, after every conceivable NOTAM and location?

agreed ddoth, no idea why they couldn't just put the winds in there as well. And could they please put the actual Freezing level? "Abv 10000ft" just seems silly, they obviously know what it is, so just put it there!

GAFs only cover up to 10,000ft is why.

le Pingouin, why only up to 10,000ft? They seemed to do just fine with Area Forecasts going a lot further up prior to this. I was told by someone from BOM that it was done so as to allow them to increase the frequency of TAFs being issued to which I've seen no difference in the year since it changed.

They obviously know what the actual freezing level is, so why not just put it there like they've always been able to?

My understanding for the change to 10,000ft (as seen previously in ARFORs) was for standardising the products globally.

e.g. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviatio...charts-details

If you're flying above 10,000ft the GAF isn't applicable so why include information that can't be used in conjunction with the rest of the forecast? If you're higher than 10,000ft you can use the grid point wind and temperature forecasts to find the freezing level.

Total cluster**** as with all things our Aviation Authorities put out (CASA @ Airservices). :mad:
"What is the weather like?" " You got a window? OPEN IT!":}

The obsolete area forecast winds covered a large area. If one were planning a long trip it was easy. Just pick the wind at your intended level and use that for planning. The wind would possibly cover the entire route. The small grids on the new forecast have frequent wind changes. The chart is small with no place names so a track line is a bit of a guess.

EFBs will do the work for you but how does one plan a flight through multiple grids? How would a student cope with planning a long nav on a nav computer? What are instructors teaching?

I’ve been wondering that, too. Do they have to plan ‘mini legs’ for each grid?

My understanding is that Australia now has:

- 10 GAF areas

- 9 GPWT areas (because some of the GAFS are ‘amalgamated’ for GPWT purposes), and

- 28 Area QNH areas.

Do I have that right?

I haven’t met anyone who says they asked for this change. I’m guessing it will be justified on international consistency grounds. Would be great if they applied the consistency principle consistently...

This morning, NAIPS seems to be working, but with the old format forecasts. Is this right?

This is incompetence on a grand scale.

And the NOTAM this morning is a joke. It’s pretty much saying don’t submit flight plans electronically and go to the BOM wed site for weather.

I don’t think I have seen such disruption / incompetence in 40 years. I thin’ this eclipses the CASA part 61 implementation debacle, the CASA ELT implementation debacle and the CASA ADSB implementation debacle.

This ought to be front page news. Where are the journalists who troll this site when you need them?

“I don’t think I have seen this much incompetence in 40 years.”

That’s a big call, Old Akro....there has been plenty of competition for the title!

NAIPS working fine for me, with the new charts. Agree the wind is a bit of a pain.

GAFS on ipad
 

I use NAIPS quite often with ipad but I can't seem to get the GAFS to display on Ipad. PC OK. Anybody else finding this or I am I doing something wrong?

Does anyone know if/when the developers of the iPhone NAIPS app will update it to support the new GAFs?

All asking where airlines are getting weather from, seems you have all forgotten about the old avfax system & are all just super reliant on technology working!

Got a couple of emails with update and download links - like all things software, nobody wants to be the first to download, install and find that it doesn't quite work

AT

One more 'little' gripe.
About to jump in the aircraft 0315Z.
Jumped into the GAF, earliest available is 'Valid 0500Z to 1100Z'
What happened to the one that had a validity through 0300Z?

(or am I missing something obvious ...)