British Airways has become the first UK carrier to introduce two real-time next generation weather apps. These apps will provide real-time weather data from The Weather Company, helping pilots and flight planners better predict bad weather.
On Thursday (April 11, 2024), British Airways announced the introduction of two next generation real-time weather apps that will help pilots and flight planning teams to better predict bad weather. With real-time weather data, provided by The Weather Company, pilots will be able to mitigate the impact of weather on any intended flight route, in the moment. Currently, teams rely on manually produced weather reports generated earlier in the day.
The first app will give pilots access to weather data that will offer comprehensive insights into weather conditions along flight paths, both prior to departure and inflight. Additional updates will be provided using onboard Wi-Fi to support real-time inflight weather updates, further enhancing functionality. The app that will be used by pilots is called Guidor and is provided by SkyConseil.
British Airways’ Integrated Operations Control Centre will also have access to an app called WSI Fusion, which in the future, will work in conjunction with the new technology available to pilots, giving them precise information on weather changes. The technology has been tailored to the needs of British Airways’ extensive route network, will be introduced ahead of the busy summer travel season.
British Airways’ Integrated Operations Control Centre - Courtesy British Airways
In Thursday’s announcement, British Airways’ Chief Operating Officer, René de Groot, said,
“It’s exciting that we’ll be the first UK airline to combine the technology of both apps, which will allow us to make even better operational decisions in the moment using real-time data. These applications represent a step-change in the quality of weather information we receive, and, in the future, will enable pilots to collaborate in real-time during a flight with operational colleagues on the ground, allowing faster decision-making for a variety of issues like diversion planning and recovery.”
The new weather apps are just the latest investment as part of British Airways’ comprehensive £7 billion transformation programme. Earlier this year, the carrier launched a new Electronic Aircraft Maintenance (eLog) System for engineering teams, replacing an antiquated paper-based system. This allows the immediate transfer of data from aircraft to engineers, meaning required parts can be pre-ordered to resolve issues quickly, and more efficiently.
Source: British Airways