Starting in 2008, the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University, in partnership with the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San Jose State University, conducted a research and development study of the proof-of-concept system for integrating Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) with Roadside Weather Information System (RWIS). The goal of this multi-phase project is to provide airport managers, air traffic controllers, pilots, and related operators of air ambulance services with more comprehensive and accurate meteorological data by integrating currently used weather systems with systems used by related agencies. The project is targeted at small, underserved rural airfields and heliports.

Data from aviation AWOS, ASOS (Automated Surface Observing Systems) and surface transportation RWIS could be integrated to provide greater coverage for multiple agencies, as well as to achieve greater levels of efficiency and potential cost savings. During Phase I of this project, a small-scale systems engineering process was followed to develop a prototype. The prototype was tested by a small set of prospective users, and it was viewed as a good tool to collect and disseminate weather information among aviation personnel. Phase II will encompass further development and testing of the prototype system, including technical requirements analysis, identification of additional sources of weather data, installation at a host site, and evaluation.

This research effort is jointly funded by Caltrans and the University Transportation Center (UTC) program. This project represents the component funded by the UTC program.