NATIONAL AVIATION
WEATHER
PROGRAM
Strategic Plan
April 1997
FCM-P32-1997
Washington, D.C.
April 1997
| U.S. Department of Transportation |
Office of the Administrator | 800 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20591 |
| Federal Aviation Administration |
Dear Reader:
The National Aviation Weather Strategic Plan is an important initiative and one I am very proud to support. This plan is the product of a unique collaborative effort between all of the elements of the Federal Government that have a role in aviation weather. It is a testament to the benefits of cooperation and joint decision making.
In developing the National Aviation Weather Strategic Plan it was important to define an objective of what we want to accomplish. To do this, the Strategic Plan presents a joint vision of what the National Aviation Weather System should be in the future. The goals of this vision include the evolution of a system where the number of aviation weather related accidents is as close to zero as possible and where the number of delays caused by adverse weather is greatly reduced.
The key to reaching the promise of this vision is a commitment to improving the quality of operational decision making as it relates to weather. This applies to the entire aviation community. To do this, the Strategic Plan pursues four critical elements -- improving the quality of aviation weather information, improving the utilization of this information, enhancing the level of cooperation and leveraging between agencies, and improving the focus and effectiveness of our aviation weather-related research and development.
Perhaps most important in this process is that the Strategic Plan is only the first step. While it sets this vision and the general system wide objectives, the subsequent "Implementation Plan" will develop more specific tasks and programs. This effort is already underway and is showing considerable progress. The National Aviation Weather Strategic Plan provides a guidepost for our efforts, but it is something that cannot happen in a vacuum. I ask for the support of the entire aviation community, at all levels, to make this initiative successful.
Sincerely,
Barry L. Valentine
Acting Administrator