Individual initiative, the sometimes unintended consequences of scientific research, timing, and the power of a good idea have played a critical role in the development of an important technological innovation within the past 10 years called datalink weather. Although datalink hasn’t made severe weather any less dangerous, it has improved situational awareness in the cockpit and made it a great deal easier for general aviation pilots to avoid severe weather.
Datalink Weather: From Concept to Cockpit is the story of how that technology came to be, told by some of the people directly involved in its creation. It’s not a story of one person working alone on a wholly new idea, but several different individuals working separately, and at different times, contributing their own pieces to the practical realization of an idea that had been around since World War II.
The documentary includes interviews with Norman Crabill, a former NASA engineer who took critical steps in creating the technology involved; Keith Hoffler, who worked with Crabill to bring one of the first systems to market; Bob Baron (WxWorx XM weather), whose company played a major role in bringing datalink to a mass audience; Dr. David Strahle, an early exponent of the idea and a noted educator/speaker on the topic; and Editor in Chief Thomas B. Haines. Watch the approximately 27-minute video.
ASI tackles winter weather during Ice Week
Seven days of educational tools
Before temperatures start to plummet, it might be a good idea to fire up your computer and participate in the Air Safety Institute’s Ice Week, October 26 through November 1. Learn how to avoid treacherous icing encounters with ASI’s free resources, including videos, courses, quizzes, accident case studies, and real pilot stories (www.airsafetyinstitute.org/iceweek). Ice Week is brought to you by AOPA Insurance Services and VOYA.
New ASI Fall Seminar Real World Weather: Visit the website for dates and locations near you.
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