[Bob Axsom]

Is there a source of timely, precise and accurate winds aloft data that is better than the 3,000 ft. increment information available from FSS (other than in flight exploration)?

Bob Axsom

 

[gmcjetpilot]

Winds aloft

Well actual real time weather reports are the best you can get. It is always hard to get real times wind alofts. The forecast are just that FT, forecast winds aloft. I am going to assume this question is the context of racing.

Here is a hint: You may be able to call ATC center and ask if they have any planes at X altitude or climbing thru X altitude. Most jets have true wind read outs. Remember all winds aloft above 3000 AGL should be in true. Sometimes pilots will give winds in true, sometimes magnetic, so ask. When I fly at work and wonder if I should climb based on the winds above my altitude, I will ask ATC. If ATC has the time, they ask other planes in the area for the info, if available. Other times you can call other planes direct on air-to-air. I assume you want lower altitude winds, not flight levels, so a jet liner may not always help you, unless they noted the winds on climb out.

Other than that the best advice I can give you is study the big weather picture as well as the FT. Check current conditions with forecast to estimate accuracy and get PIREPS. If you are not a weather expert, you may want to study up on the subject more. Even better than learning WX is getting your own weather expert to consult with. I am serious. May be an amateur weather buff or college metrological professor at the local U can give you advice on getting the best low/mid level winds aloft on a given day.


If you are talking about racing may be the best thing is have a scout plane take off and fly ahead of you. It is racing and any advantage helps. Of course of the plane has an airdata computer that reads wind out that would be best.

The fact is weather forecasts are pretty accurate. I am surprised when I fly how close the forecast wind aloft is to actual @ flight levels. You can fly a few thousand miles with winds of 70kts and be with in 1-3 minutes of the flight plan. However they can be off and that is one-thing airline pilots look for. In fact the FARS and company procedures make it mandatory to make an in-flight report if winds aloft are not correct.

Winds aloft are based on a computer models and weather balloons. They take a lot into account. The weather service modifies their reports based real time info. Again flight plans are within a few minutes over thousands of miles most of the time.

If you don?t use a scout plane, get a PIREP or expert consultant the best you can do is the latest FT, I believe reported at 0600Z, 1200Z, 1800Z and 0000Z. Remember it is in true (which I forget sometimes) and may be as you climb out you level and check the accuracy at lower altitudes before climbing real high in hopes of getting a good wind push. If the lower winds are much weaker than forecast you may assume the winds higher up will be weaker, making a climb not worth it.

Bob, may be you can buy you own radiosondes (instrument packages) and a weather balloon.
Cheers George

 

[Bob Axsom]

Thanks for the good feedback

You are correct it is about racing. The availability of the big picture is a great thing and I am planning to cough up the price of a lap top and at least look at directions and count the full and half feathers so I can plan for myself a little better. That is some extra weight but I think it is worth it. My experience with FSS is much worse lately than at any time in the past no doubt because of the FAA situations - probably not a nice place to work right now. I feel for both sides - I know management is not in a good situation either - but I need to work with what I'm dealt. I talked to a FSS man before leaving Spearfish, SD on a 2002 race leg to Garrison, ND and he was so good - well this is what I wrote:

...The next morning was the last day of the race. I called Flight service and got the best briefing of the whole race. The specialist said the weather information currently in the system was wrong. He said Doppler RADAR was showing a head wind between Spearfish, South Dakota and Garrison, North Dakota but above that there was a tail wind peaking out at 9,000 feet. We took off and started the climb and sure enough when we reached 6,000 feet our ground speed started increasing rapidly. We made very good time on that leg.

Now if I could get some information like that it would be great. I am sure the front runners have much better data than I get from 1-800-WXBRIEF and I'm sure the data is there I just need to find it. Before I retired I had much better access to information but with the right intensity of study I'm sure I can find it. In my last year on the job we were bringing the Genesis Spacecraft with it's Sample Return Capsule back from a halo orbit around the L1 point and we had to assure that it would hit in the target area within the Utah Test & Training Range (forget that the drogue chute didn't deploy). Atmospheric dispersions were part of the problem. I studied all of the wind data independently and compared my findings with the information from LARC and provided the independent recommendation the the Principle Investigator to release the SRC from the Spacecraft or go into a backup orbit (not a LEO) for a second attempt months later. The data were so good that our navigation team predicted the return point with great precision. The point is I know the data are there but there must be a good access method for a private citizen. I think once I get the lap top I can dig out the information in the motels en route. An air link with some good data source would be even better. Probably some kind of cell phone link would work but it would be nice to adopt a system that someone has already done the R&D on.

Bob Axsom