AWOS Automated Weather Systems Augment Nigeria Offshore Flight Planning

Sacramento, CA (September 16, 2008)ExxonMobil is installing onshore and offshore automated weather monitoring stations to improve helicopter flight planning for its Nigerian oil operations. Two Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS), developed by All Weather, Inc. of Sacramento, California, will work in tandem to provide accurate weather information for making Go/No-Go decisions for helicopter flights between the onshore and offshore locations.

The AWOS systems will provide up-to-the-minute weather data to pilots via ground-to-air radio and to air traffic personnel via interactive displays. Using this data, flight planning efficiency and safety will be greatly improved. Knowing the conditions at the destination ahead of time will help avoid costly aborted flights, and reduce the risk of pilots encountering unexpected weather.

“A steady stream of information between offshore helipads and onshore bases is vital to making informed decisions,” said Jason Hall, president of All Weather, Inc. “With AWOS systems installed at both ends of the flight, these decisions can be made with much greater confidence.”

The AWOS systems measure a full array of weather parameters, including wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall, barometric pressure, and the presence of up to four layers of clouds. The collected data is available immediately to pilots and ground personnel, and is archived in a historical database that can be analyzed for trends and output in a variety of report formats.

AWOS systems have already proven themselves in offshore installations in the Gulf of Mexico and on Alaska’s North Slope. They form the core weather data source for the Federal Aviation Administration’s extensive ADS-B information system, currently being deployed on oil platforms throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

About All Weather Inc.
All Weather, Inc. (AWI) is a leading developer of high-accuracy, high-dependability weather information systems that help users minimize risks in an unpredictable world. The company provides AWOS aviation weather systems and air traffic control display systems, as well as a wide range of high-accuracy meteorological sensors and systems, including laser ceilometers, runway visual range systems, lightning detection sensors, and a variety of other meteorological sensors. AWI’s ASOS, AWOS, and AWSS systems meet the stringent standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and FAA. AWI has installed more than 2000 high-end automated weather systems around the globe, working with such leading authorities as the U.S. National Weather Service, FAA, ICAO, WMO and commercial users around the world. For more information, see www.allweatherinc.com.

For further information, contact:
Steve Glander, International Sales
All Weather, Inc.
1165 National Drive, Sacramento, CA 95834 USA
+1 916.928.1000, Fax: +1 916.928.1165
Email: Contact AWI
Web: www.allweatherinc.com

Leave a Comment