By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@trribunemedia.net

A Bahamian company has become the first in the region to cement a deal with the United States for an advanced aviation forecast system. 

The Bahamas Aviation, Climate & Severe Weather Network (BACSWN) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research to develop and install an advanced aviation forecast system that will improve flight safety for airlines traversing the country’s airspace.

Dr Steve Thur, assistant administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and acting NOAA chief scientist, said the agreement will also allow NOAA to access additional weather observations, which will be used to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts.

He said the agreement is a “win-win”, as the data sharing will improve aviation safety and severe weather tracking for both nations.

“[About] ninety percent of the visitors to The Bahamas come through the US or from the US, and so this partnership is certainly going to advance what you all can do for those that are traveling through Bahamian airspace or into The Bahamas and the surrounding Caribbean areas,” said Dr Thur.

“It’s also important for us as the data that’s going to be shared, improving our models, and given the importance of tropical cyclones, hurricanes, tornadic activities, we’ve got an opportunity to combine private sector expertise with some of the foundational capabilities that we have, and I see this as a true win-win.”

Dr Thur also noted that as NOAA is a branch of the US Department of Commerce, the agreement is an example of how governments can partner with the private sector to “address a common challenge”.

“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sits within our Department of Commerce, and so the connections that we make to commerce while we are an environmentally focused organisation are high priority for us,” said Dr Thur.

“Given that we are in the same organisation as those dealing with international trade and economic development, I was really pleased to see this progressing, and I think it’s a great example of ways that we can use the strengths of both the private sector and the governmental sector, transnationally, across borders, to address a common challenge.”

Under the agreement, BACSWN will pay NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory $728,000 to install a cloud-based version of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) and Hazard Services application. This system will provide advanced forecasting and decision tools to forecasters, allowing them to more easily identify aviation in-flight hazards, such as turbulence and thunderstorms.

Robert Carron, founder of BACSWN, also said the agreement would not have been possible without the efforts of both the Davis administration and US officials.

“I’d also be remiss if I didn’t also thank our Prime Minister [Philip Davis] and Minister of Energy and Transport [JoBeth Coleby-Davis], and actually, our Prime Minister just met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Rubio informed him that they had endorsed this and they were making the right choice. So, Secretary Rubio, thank you very much, sir,” said Mr Carron.

Mr Carron said most US carriers traversing Latin America and the Caribbean fly through Bahamian airspace, and the agreement will allow for up to 30 percent more air traffic, which will boost economic activity.

He said the agreement can serve as a model for other regional partners that would like to improve their aviation tracking capabilities.

“This is a culmination, the final piece of a $427m budget for aviation and climate and severe weather tracking and sensing. Most US carriers who are going on their journeys to and from Latin America, the Caribbean and coming to the United States come through our airspace, and it is the gateway to the Gulf of America and the Panama Canal, so it’s a key ally,” said Mr Carron.

“My hope is that this could be a model for future developments, because it’s the first one for the Caribbean, and hopefully together, we can make it so that it’s beneficial for the aviation sector and the safety and improvements that we’ve been making for the US carriers. The safety and efficiency—we will open up the airspace, collaborating with the FAA by tracking radar. The airspace can be opened up to 30 percent more planes, which means more economic activity.”

Curtis Alexander, acting director of the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), said the new technology will support the Bahamas Department of Meteorology in issuing Airmen’s Meteorological Information (AIRMETs), which are used to warn pilots about moderate turbulence, strong winds, low visibility, and moderate icing; and Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMETs), which are used for warnings of severe icing and turbulence associated with severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, dust storms, volcanic ash, and other hazardous weather advisories.

“This work is going to allow the Bahamas Department of Meteorology to generate some aviation in-flight products, including AIRMETs and SIGMETs, and function as a meteorological watch office. The support in this effort obviously moves toward their goal for ingestion, validation, visualisation, and distribution of accurate data,” said Mr Alexander.

“It relates to severe weather events, including aviation hazards such as turbulence, in a real-time operational framework. This will also empower the Bahamas to issue TAFs and overflight products.”