Observatory Takes Lead in Writing Article on Aviation Meteorology for WMO

20 May 2009

Mr CM Shun, Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, takes lead in writing an article on Meteorological Services to Aviation recently published in the April 2009 issue of the WMO Bulletin, the official journal of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  Mr Shun is currently the Vice-President of the WMO Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CAeM).  The other co-authors of the article are also core members of the CAeM, including the President Mr Carr McLeod from Canada.

The April 2009 issue of the WMO Bulletin is dedicated to meteorological services for transportation.  The above-mentioned article presents the evolving meteorological services serving aviation since 1903 when the Wright brothers pioneered the first controlled powered flight.  It highlights the importance of client focus, the various facets of the services currently provided, as well as new opportunities and challenges for the next decade.  Very good feedback on the article has been received.

The article also makes reference to numerous Hong Kong examples in service provision, including the Observatorys web-based Aviation Meteorological Information Dissemination System (AMIDS) for airlines and pilots, user liaison groups, and its pioneering work of using the LIght Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology for windshear alerting.  A WMO pilot project undertaken by the China Meteorological Administration to demonstrate regional cooperation in building the capacity of developing countries in providing aviation meteorological services is also showcased. 

The article is available from the WMO website at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/publications/bulletin_en/documents/58_2_shun_en.pdf

(Left) Front cover of the April 2009 issue of the WMO Bulletin.   (Right) The Aviation Meteorological Information Dissemination System of the Observatory showcased in the article on Meteorological Services to Aviation.