Loss of control following inadvertent entry into IMC is a significant cause of fatal accidents to UK aircraft. As technology advances it should become economically viable to provide real-time weather data to the suitably equipped pilot in-flight in the cockpit. In-flight weather data has been available to pilots in the USA for a number of years through the U.S. ADS-B system.
Whether it be via satellite or 3G/4G/5G mobile technology, the provision of real-time weather data to pilots in UK airspace should be accepted as a viable and desired safety enhancement. Encountering unexpected bad weather enroute is a factor that affects VFR pilot’s use of airspace and can be a major factor in some aircraft accidents. Mitigating these situations by providing advanced warning of bad weather is a valuable safety enhancement.
As well as weather, the same communications system could also facilitate the provision of other vital real-time information.
This aligns with the proposed Aircraft Access to SWIM (AAtS).
FASVIG would develop proposals to align VFR safety data availability with the proposed Aircraft Access to SWIM (AAtS).
