International Experts Met in Hong Kong to Map Out Future Aviation Weather Information Exchange Format

7 October 2015

The Hong Kong Observatory hosted the Fourth Meeting of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Commission for Basic System (CBS) Task Team on Aviation XML (TT-AvXML) on 22-24 September 2015. The mission of the task team is to develop a new format in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) to support more effective exchange of weather information and the provision of more advanced aviation weather services for future air transport industry.

At the opening of the meeting, Miss Sharon Lau, Acting Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, addressed the participants' importance of their work: "The team has a significant task to perform in preparation for new requirements on digital exchange of aviation weather information to be introduced by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in the next few years. Time scales were tight for all involved to prepare for the transition. The meeting is a great opportunity to gather wisdoms of international experts and act proactively in response to the drive for changes in the provision of aviation weather services."

The 3-day meeting was attended by 15 members of the task team and interested experts from different regions and international organizations, including China, Hong Kong, China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) and ICAO. Dr. Steve Foreman, Chief of Data Representation, Metadata and Modelling Section of WMO, was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. "The meeting agreed the work needed to steer future releases of IWXXM, or ICAO Meteorological Information Exchange Model, which is the new standard to be abided by aviation users around the world."