In the ever-evolving landscape of aviation, accurate weather monitoring isn't merely a preference—it's an absolute imperative. Enter the Airport Weather Advisor™ AWOS 3PT, a game-changing solution that's redefining how airports worldwide handle and disseminate meteorological data. Short for Automated Weather Observing System IIIPT, AWOS 3PT represents the pinnacle of advanced technology. This state-of-the-art system has emerged as the bedrock of dependable weather reporting within the aviation sector, excelling particularly in its ability to endure and precisely gauge conditions during extreme weather events.
What is AWOS 3PT?
AWOS 3PT is an FAA Certified, ICAO/WMO Compliant Automated Weather Observing System designed to meet the diverse needs of airports, regardless of their size. This system comprehensively monitors and reports various meteorological parameters, ensuring pilots, air traffic controllers, and aviation professionals access accurate, real-time weather info.
Key Meteorological Parameters Monitored by AWOS 3PT
AWOS 3PT accurately monitors crucial meteorological data:
- Wind Speed and Direction:
- Mechanical Sensors: Range 2 - 85 knots, accuracy ±2 knots (≤40 knots), ±5% (>40 knots), direction range 1° - 360°, accuracy ±5°
- Ultrasonic Sensors: Range 1 - 85 knots, accuracy ±1 knot (≤40 knots), ±3% (>40 knots), direction range 0° - 359°, accuracy ±3°
- Temperature: Range -35°C to +55°C, accuracy 1°F RMSE, max error 2°F
- Humidity (Dew Point): Range -35°C to +55°C, accuracy ≤5% of measured value, resolution ≤1%
- Pressure (Altimeter Setting & Density Altitude):
- Height range: 17.58 - 31.53 inHg
- Pressure range: +1.5 to -3.0 inHg relative to standard atmospheric pressure
- Accuracy: ±0.02 inHg
- Resolution: 0.001 inHg
- Visibility: Range <¼ mile to 10 miles, with specific resolution intervals
- Precipitation Accumulation: Range 0.01 - 5 in/h, resolution 0.01 in, accuracy 0.002 in/h (RMSE) or 4% of actual value (whichever is greater)
- Cloud Height: Measures up to 12,500 feet, accuracy 100 feet or 5% (whichever is greater)
- Present Weather & Thunderstorm Detection: Indicates precipitation type, detects thunderstorms within 30 nautical miles
Technical Specifications of AWOS 3PT
General Performance Standards
AWOS 3PT meets FAA's Advisory Circular No. 150/5220 - 16 and installation follows FAA JO 6560.20.
Input Power
- 120/240 V (±10%), 60 Hz AC (±5 Hz), three-wire single-phase
- Automatically restores after power outage without error
Operating Environment
All components meet Class 1 environment requirements in AC 150/5220 - 16. This means that AWOS 3PT is engineered to perform reliably in extreme weather conditions. Whether it's the scorching heat of a desert airport, where temperatures can soar well above +55°C, or the frigid cold of a polar region with temperatures plummeting below -35°C, the system maintains its accuracy and functionality. In high-humidity tropical regions, the humidity sensor continues to precisely measure dew points, and in areas prone to powerful hurricanes or typhoons, the wind speed and direction sensors accurately record gusts up to 85 knots.
Sensor Specifications
Wind Speed and Direction Sensors
- Mechanical: Distance constant <10m, wind speed threshold 2 knots, direction threshold 2 knots, time constant <2s
- Ultrasonic: Wind direction threshold 1 knot, low maintenance
In the face of extreme winds, both the mechanical and ultrasonic wind sensors of AWOS 3PT shine. During intense storms, the mechanical sensors can quickly detect sudden changes in wind direction with a time constant of less than 2 seconds, while the ultrasonic sensors, with their no-moving-parts design, are less susceptible to damage from debris carried by strong winds, ensuring continuous and accurate wind data reporting.
Other Sensors
- Temperature: Time constant ≤2 minutes
- Humidity: Time constant <2 minutes
- Pressure: 2 - 3 sensors with external venting, stable with low drift
- Cloud Height:
- Sampling: Every 30s (reduced to every 3 minutes without detections in 15 minutes)
- Eye-safe (Class IIIb laser)
- Self-check/self-adjust, anti-contamination, snow/ice resistant
- Visibility: Ambient light sensor for day/night indication
- Precipitation Accumulation: High-resolution and accurate
- Present Weather: Meets AC 150/5220 - 16 requirements
- Thunderstorm Detection: Range 30 nautical miles, reports position within 1 nautical mile, updates AWOS/mins
The cloud height sensor of AWOS 3PT is a standout in extreme weather. In snowy conditions with a snowfall rate of 2 inches per hour at 20°F, its window remains snow-free, thanks to built-in anti-snow mechanisms. During freezing rain events, when ice can accumulate rapidly, the sensor's window resists icing for up to 60 minutes with a radial thickness build-up of ½ inch per hour. This ensures uninterrupted cloud height measurements, which are vital for safe takeoffs and landings.
During heavy rainstorms that can reduce visibility to near zero, the visibility sensor, combined with the ambient light sensor, accurately determines the visibility range, providing pilots with critical information for navigation. And when thunderstorms strike, the thunderstorm detection sensor quickly identifies the presence of lightning within a 30-nautical-mile radius, with a position accuracy of within 1 nautical mile, allowing airports to take immediate safety precautions.
AWOS Data Processor
- Performs data reduction and quality control
- Implements FAA-approved algorithms
- Generates various outputs: voice messages, terminal I/O, optional video/network outputs
- Remote Maintenance Monitoring (RMM) feature
- Accurate real-time clock (UTC)
- Archives reports (≤20-minute intervals, retained ≥96 hours)
- Protects system constants
Even during power outages caused by extreme weather events like severe lightning strikes or powerful storms, the AWOS data processor is designed to automatically restore normal operation without human intervention. Once power is restored, it ensures that no erroneous data is outputted, safeguarding the integrity of the weather information. The remote maintenance monitoring feature allows technicians to quickly diagnose and address any issues that may arise during extreme weather, minimizing downtime.
Operator Terminal (OT)
- Includes video display, keyboard, microphone, and speaker
- Password-protected data input
- Timestamps manual data, requires re-verification for retention
Voice Subsystem
Meets AC 150/5220 - 16, offers multi-language reports.
EMI and Transient/Lightning Protection
Designed for airport EMI environments, protects against lightning surges. The robust electromagnetic interference (EMI) and transient/lightning protection built into AWOS 3PT is crucial during extreme weather. In regions prone to frequent lightning strikes, the system's components are shielded from the high-voltage surges and electromagnetic fields generated by lightning, ensuring that the entire system remains operational and continues to provide accurate weather data.
AWOS Live: The Cloud-Based Advantage
AWOS Live enables secure, real-time data streaming to the cloud. Accessible via computer, tablet, or phone without additional apps, using a dedicated awos.live URL for instant weather updates. During extreme weather, AWOS Live becomes an even more invaluable tool. Airport managers can monitor weather conditions in real-time from anywhere, making informed decisions about flight schedules, runway closures, and passenger safety. Pilots can access the latest data on their mobile devices while en route, allowing them to adjust their flight plans accordingly.
Why Choose AWOS 3PT?
Global Reach and Experience
Mesotech International, the provider of AWOS 3PT, has installations on all seven continents. Our experience equips us to handle diverse airport needs, offering customized, compliant solutions. Having deployed systems in a wide range of extreme environments, from the blizzards of Antarctica to the monsoons of Southeast Asia, we have the expertise to ensure that AWOS 3PT performs optimally in any weather condition your airport may face.
Compliance with International Standards
AWOS 3PT is FAA-certified and meets ICAO and WMO standards, ensuring globally recognized weather data. When you choose AWOS 3PT, you're not only getting a system that can handle extreme weather but also one that adheres to the highest international benchmarks, giving you peace of mind and confidence in your weather monitoring capabilities.
AWOS 3PT Applications:
Case 1: Polar Airport Coping with Extreme Cold and Blizzard
An airport located within the Arctic Circle faces extreme cold and frequent blizzards throughout the year. In winter, the temperature often drops below - 40°C, and blizzards can cause a sharp decline in runway visibility. In such harsh environments, the AWOS 3PT system, with its outstanding performance, becomes a key factor in ensuring the safety of airport operations.
- Precise Meteorological Data Monitoring: Its temperature sensor accurately measures extremely low temperatures. Even in the severe cold of - 45°C, it can still maintain an accuracy of 1°F RMSE, providing airport staff with accurate temperature information. This enables them to rationally adjust aircraft fuel, lubricants, etc. The humidity sensor precisely measures the dew point in the high - humidity blizzard environment, ensuring that critical aircraft components are not affected by frost, thus maintaining performance.
- Reliable Equipment Operation: All components of the system meet Class 1 environmental requirements and can operate normally in low - temperature blizzards. For example, the cloud - height sensor is equipped with anti - snow and anti - icing designs. During blizzards, it takes accurate samples every 30 seconds to measure the cloud height, providing important flight reference data for pilots and ensuring the safety of aircraft take - off and landing. During a 12 - hour blizzard with a snow accumulation thickness of 30 centimeters, the AWOS 3PT operated stably, continuously providing real - time meteorological data to the airport control center and pilots. This ensured that the airport could still arrange a small number of emergency flights for take - off and landing in an orderly manner in adverse weather conditions.
Case 2: Tropical Island Airport Confronting Typhoons and Rainstorms
A tropical island airport is hit by typhoons several times a year, accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain. During typhoons, wind speeds can reach 70 - 80 knots, and heavy rainfall reduces visibility significantly, posing great challenges to airport operations.
- Accurate Capture of Extreme Wind Speeds: The mechanical and ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensors of AWOS 3PT perform outstandingly during typhoons. The mechanical sensor can quickly respond to sudden changes in wind direction, with a time constant of less than 2 seconds. When the wind speed reaches up to 80 knots, it accurately measures the wind speed and direction within the standard error range. The ultrasonic sensor, due to its non - moving parts, effectively avoids being damaged by debris carried by strong winds, continuously and stably providing wind speed and direction data. This helps the airport adjust flight take - off and landing arrangements in a timely manner, ensuring the safe taxiing, take - off, and landing of aircraft in high - wind environments.
- Visibility Monitoring in Severe Weather: In the case of heavy rainfall reducing visibility to almost zero, the visibility sensor and ambient light sensor of the system work in coordination to accurately determine the visibility range. For example, during a heavy rainfall brought by a typhoon, the visibility dropped to a minimum of 100 meters. The AWOS 3PT promptly and accurately transmitted this information to pilots and the airport tower, enabling the airport to quickly activate emergency response plans, suspend flight take - off and landing, and avoid potential flight accidents. At the same time, the system's accurate measurement of rainfall, rainfall accumulation provides important basis for the scheduling of the airport drainage system, ensuring that there is no serious waterlogging on the runway and guaranteeing the safety of airport facilities.
The practical application cases of AWOS 3PT vividly demonstrate its irreplaceable role in ensuring airport safety and efficient operations under extreme weather conditions. Whether it is the frigid cold and blizzards of polar regions, the powerful typhoons and heavy rainstorms in tropical islands, or the sweltering heat and sandstorms in deserts, AWOS 3PT has proven its mettle with consistent and accurate performance.
In conclusion, AWOS 3PT is not just a weather - monitoring system; it is a cornerstone of modern aviation safety and operational excellence. For airports worldwide, especially those facing extreme weather challenges, investing in AWOS 3PT means investing in the future of safe, reliable, and efficient air travel. As the aviation industry continues to evolve, AWOS 3PT stands ready to meet the ever - increasing demands for accurate and timely weather information, ensuring that aircraft can navigate even the most adverse conditions with confidence.
