![]() Participants agreed on a set of findings and recommendations, which are discussed in detail within this report. The policy study and workshop revealed that there are four main policy issues that need to be addressed to ensure the best use of current space weather information: communication, standardization of information and regulations, education and training, and cost benefit and risk analysis. In addition, AMS and SolarMetrics organized a workshop in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Environment Center (SEC), NSF, and NextGen/Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), on November 29–30, 2006 in Washington DC that led to recommendations on how to improve the safety and operations of the aviation system through better integration of space weather information. In response to this need, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Policy Program and SolarMetrics conducted a policy study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to research key policy issues governing effective application of space weather information to the aviation industry. To date, there are still a lot of gaps between the development of space weather information and the needs of the aviation industry. This issue is a concern for the aviation and sub-orbital space industries, and more accurate data and more extensive studies are needed to assist medical research in identifying the long-term health effects. However, current medical research and epidemiological studies are inconclusive regarding the actual impacts to aircrew over the length of a flying career. In addition, solar radiation and cosmic rays can also impact human health. ![]() Impacts on aviation operations can directly impact safety, which is the primary concern of air carriers. ![]() However, operators want additional products that assist in decision making. Dispatchers need space weather forecasts for flight planning at high latitudes, especially for the polar routes. Effects include degradation or loss of HF radio transmission and satellite navigation signals navigation system disruptions and avionics errors. Space weather phenomena (geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, solar flare radio blackouts, solar radio bursts, and cosmic radiation) can impact aviation operations. The economics of cross-polar air traffic will become even more important as travel is expected to increase sharply in anticipation of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and will continue to grow. For example, a United Airlines operations manager stated that if the polar routes are not available, the additional operating costs and penalties for an unscheduled stop or reroute can escalate significantly, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars per flight. ![]() These flight paths provide a shortcut to Asia, reducing travel time and operating costs (e.g., fuel, delays, reroutes). In the last several years, airspace over Russia and China has opened up to commercial traffic, allowing for polar routes between North America and Asia. Additionally, with the potential space tourism and intercontinental space flight markets, these risks are equally important to the commercial space transportation industry. These concerns not only apply to current operations, but become even more important at all latitudes when considered within the framework for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen is an interagency initiative to transform the U.S. Effects include disruption in High Frequency (HF) communications, satellite navigation system errors, and radiation hazards to humans and avionics. ( Space weather refers to the conditions on the Sun and in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems and can endanger human life or health.) The industry is primarily concerned about risks during high-latitude (>50°N) and polar operations (>78°N) since impacts of space weather can be greatest in these regions. As cross-polar traffic increases, the aviation industry is becoming more aware of the impacts space weather can have on operations. ![]()
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