SW Aviation Weather Safety Workshop

The fourth Southwest Aviation Weather Safety (SAWS IV) Workshop will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Albuquerque on October 25th and 26th, 2011. The purpose of this free, regional workshop is to promote aviation safety and productivity through improved weather awareness and forecasting services. The National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Offices in Phoenix and Albuquerque are organizing the event with the ZAB Air Route Traffic Control Center Weather Service Unit and contributions from numerous NWS Weather Forecast Offices throughout the Southwest United States.

Aviator & Controller Weather Workshop - October 25th will feature presentations to help pilots and air traffic controllers better anticipate, recognize and avoid aviation weather hazards. Other topics will include mitigation of density altitude risks, weather radar interpretation, simple ways to use and interpret atmospheric soundings, flying mountain weather, hot topics from the FAA Safety Team, weather access during the NextGen era, and more. We are working with the FAA Safety Team to make this safety-of-flight event highly relevant for GA, commercial, and military pilots, as well as Air Route Traffic Control Center and Air Traffic Control Tower Controllers. Presenters from multiple National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Offices will be joined by guests from the FAA Safety Team, Aviation Weather Center, HQ NWS, Arizona Pilots Association, Sunshine Aviation Safety Studies, US Air Force, and Lockheed Martin's Prescott Flight Service Hub. Up to three FAA WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program credits will be granted for interested pilots who participate on this day.

Aviation Weather Forecasting Workshop - October 26th will feature activities designed to help weather forecasters better meet the needs of their National Aerospace System customers and partners. If possible, pilots and controllers are encouraged to participate in discussions on this day to help us understand how weather impacts their operations, as well as how we can improve our services and the delivery of our products.

In addition, this workshop will provide a great opportunity to make contacts and build relationships within the Southwest US aviation and weather forecasting communities. Optional hot lunch buffets in the workshop venue and a casual social dinner across the street will create ample opportunities to make new acquaintances and further develop old ones.

The workshop agenda is now available at: www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/SAWS4/index.php.  Participants will need to register via this website by Oct 21st. A very special rate of only $81 per night (single occupancy) has been arranged with the Albuquerque Marriott, which is accessible by shuttle bus or taxi from the Albuquerque International Sunport (KABQ) and Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG). The Marriott's deadline for reserving a room at this rate is Oct 10th.

Please post this information on bulletin boards, websites and events calendars, and share it freely via magazines, newsletters, e-mail and other methods to help us bring attention to this highly beneficial and operationally relevant workshop. To help with your promotional efforts, a flier is available at www.srh.noaa.gov/media/abq/briefings/SAWS4Flier.pdf. Upon request, I will be happy to send a stack of fliers for customer service desks, outreach events, newsletters and other mailings.  Thank you for any help you can provide to promote SAWS IV.

We feel privileged to host this regional event in New Mexico, and will be happy to welcome new and former SAWS Workshop participants for this informative and collaborative experience.  Once you review the agenda, we hope you will agree that the presenters and safety-related activities are well worth a day or two of your time.  The SAWS Workshop now visits some of the larger cities around the Southwest US, but it only happens about once every 18 months.  SAWS V won't occur until 2013, so we hope you and our other National Aerospace System customers and partners from Texas to California will join us in Albuquerque.