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The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) today (April 18) launched the "Aviation-weather Disaster Risk Reduction" (ADRR) website and the "Meteorological Data Collection Programme".
The ADRR website (http://adrr.caem.wmo.int) is a specially tailored website designed to serve the aviation community, developed by the Hong Kong Observatory in its capacity as a regional World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Pilot Project. The website seeks to assist the aviation community in the planning of airport operations and the reduction of risk and disruption due to bad weather, thus enhancing aviation safety.
To further mitigate risks due to windshear or turbulence, the Observatory also launched the "Meteorological Data Collection Programme", a collaborative programme undertaken with the Government Flying Service (GFS) to investigate windshear, turbulence and other meteorological phenomena. A weather observation system has been installed on a fixed wing GFS aircraft for measuring wind and other meteorological elements at high resolution and accuracy. This is the first aircraft in the Asia/Pacific region for collection of high resolution weather data on a regular basis.
Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (Aviation Weather Services), Ms Sharon Lau, said, "The launch of the website and the Meteorological Data Collection Programme will contribute much to reducing risk and disruption due to bad weather, which is crucial to aviation safety. These two projects, which involve international and local collaboration, have demonstrated the importance of close partnership with aviation partners, which is the key to achieving a higher standard of aviation weather services."
Welcoming the launch of the ADRR website, Chief of Aeronautical Meteorological Unit of the WMO, Dr Herbert Puempel, commended the Observatory's efforts in providing an enhanced range of forecast and warning products. He said that the sharing of such forecasting products serves to facilitate the development of similar products by other aeronautical meteorological service providers, thereby enhancing aviation safety across the region.
Representative of Cathay Pacific Airways, Mr Morgan Ng, said, "The website provides very useful information to airlines in the timely planning of airport operations, such as diversion to other airports and disruption management due to tropical cyclones. We highly appreciate the efforts of WMO and HKO and their contributions to aviation safety."
Chief pilot (Operations) of the GFS, Captain West Wu, said, "The website is also very useful to the GFS. We always make reference to it before conducting search and rescue operations, especially during tropical cyclone situations." Captain Wu added that aviation safety is very important and the GFS is delighted to be part of the collaborative effort to study windshear and turbulence.
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Figure 1: World Meteorological Organization "Aviation-weather Disaster Risk Reduction" (ADRR) website hosted and operated by the Hong Kong Observatory
Figure 2: GFS aircraft (Jetstream J-41) equipped with instruments for measuring wind and other meteorological elements at high resolution and accuracy in the vicinity of Hong Kong International Airport
Chief of Aeronautical Meteorological Unit of the World Meteorological Organization, Dr Herbert Puempel; Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (Aviation Weather Services), Ms Sharon Lau; Chief Pilot (Operations) of Government Flying Service, Captain West Wu; and representative of Cathay Pacific Airways, Mr Morgan Ng, declared the operation of "Aviation-weather Disaster Risk Reduction" Website and "Meteorological Data Collection Programme".
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