This work package aims at specifying, developing and validating the onboard weather management system, dealing with the on-board weather data collection, processing, and fusion.
There are two main research axes:

• development of onboard systems:
• Wake vortex detection enhanced by prediction (WP 2.3.1)
• Sensor technology and detection strategy for clear air turbulence (WP 2.3.2)
• Enhanced and new weather radar modes (WP 2.3.3)
• Airborne atmospheric probes for enhanced weather forecasting models (WP 2.3.4)
• weather information processing in relation to Central Weather Processor inputs
• Weather data link management for uplinked weather data processing
• Weather data fusion onboard the aircraft

The last two tasks transcend the boundaries between specific weather hazards: weather datalink is the onboard counterpart of the surface based weather processor and communications.  The outputs of the WIMSs will be consolidated in the central weather processor (CWP). On-board data fusion generates global weather data sets to be provided to the Next Generation Integrated Surveillance System (NG ISS) merging function in WP 5.4.
The product of this workpackage is a mock-up weather data link management (WDM) system and a weather data fusion system mock-up planned for flight testing and Full Flight Simulation.
The final result will consist of presenting to the aircrew the atmospheric situation on a graphic display. Typically, the display could comprise the horizontal geographical distribution of the hazards, e.g. a map with the location and coverage of thunderstorms, and a vertical cross section along the flight path. This display would be continuously updated and refreshed according to the changing weather conditions and to the aircraft position, height and route.

Leader: THALES Avionics