COMET® Distance Learning Aviation Courses

Description:
“Basic Terminal Forecast Strategies” is the first component of the Distance Learning Course 2, Producing Customer-Focused TAFs. Basic Terminal Forecast Strategies is comprised of two lessons that provide 1) an introduction to understanding aviation customers and their needs and 2) a technique to meet those needs by producing clear, concise, and consistent terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs).

Objectives:
1. Identify aviation customer groups and describe how they use TAFs.
2. Recognize common terminal forecast problems that adversely impact customers.
3. Analyze TAFs to determine which would be considered "good" or "poor" by customers.
4. Describe how overuse of conditional terms (e.g., TEMPO) lowers forecast verification scores and impedes effective customer decision-making.
5. Describe the relationship between aviation verification scores and customer satisfaction.
6. Create a Practically Perfect TAF (PP TAF) that meets common customer needs.

Estimated time to complete: 2 h

Description:
"Writing TAFs for Convective Weather" uses a case to show how special tools and techniques can be used to produce a Practically Perfect TAF (PPTAF) for convection. The unit examines how to create TAFs for different types of convection and how to effectively communicate logic and uncertainty in an aviation forecast discussion (AvnFD) or by other means. It also addresses maintaining an effective TAF weather watch and updating the TAF proactively.

Objectives:
1. Describe how general convective hazards might impact airport operations.
2. Describe how the unique characteristics of each convective type relate to creating a TAF.
3. List the strengths and weaknesses of using BUFKIT, aircraft weather data, AWIPS Time-of-Arrival (TOA)/Lead Time and Time Series tools, satellite data, climatology, and other special tools for creating a TAF for convection.
4. Explain why the PPTAF procedure needs to be revised for convection and why the use of special tools is so important for this process.
5. Produce a PPTAF for a mesoscale convective system, air mass thunderstorms, supercell thunderstorms, or microbursts
6. Effectively articulate forecast logic and uncertainty about a TAF in an Aviation Forecast Discussion (AvnFD).
7. Ensure a TAF is consistent with previous TAFs or other products issued by both local offices and national centers.
8. Be able to run an effective weather watch by identifying beforehand when a TAF update is warranted.
9. Show the ability to update proactively, rather than in a reactive fashion.
10. Identify when coordination is necessary for the TAF and with whom it should be conducted.

Estimated time to complete: 2 h

Description:
"Writing TAFs for Winds and LLWS" is the third unit in the Distance Learning Aviation Course 2 (DLAC2) series on producing TAFs that meet the needs of the aviation community. In addition to providing information about tools for diagnosing wind and wind impacts, the module extends the Practically Perfect TAF (PPTAF) process to address airport-specific criteria. By understanding the criteria at airports for which they produce TAFs, forecasters will be better able to produce a Practically Perfect Site-Specific TAF (PPSST). The unit also examines how to effectively communicate logic and uncertainty in an aviation forecast discussion (AvnFD) and addresses maintaining an effective TAF weather watch and updating the TAF proactively.

Objectives:
* Describe the importance of accurate wind forecasts to various customers
Issue Practically Perfect TAFs that are sensitive to airport-specific criteria (i.e., PPSST—Practically Perfect Site Specific TAFs)
* Create a PPSST that meets customer needs for different airports
* Use tools, products, and data to limit uncertainty in wind and LLWS forecasts
* Use  “VRB” (Variable), “G” (Gust), and “LLWS” appropriately in a TAF
* Issue TAFs proactively and identify situations when it is best to “sit on” a TAF
* Make appropriate use of the AvnFD to express uncertainty about these phenomena
* Ensure terminal forecasts are consistent with warning, forecast, and guidance products from national aviation centers
* Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively when preparing a terminal forecast

Estimated time to complete: 3 h