03 - Mockup METAR Trending - and Notes from Discussion on 2014-11-11

Scenario 3: Improving conditions at destination airport.

Scenario summary:

Destination airport comes onto the map and conditions are obscured

What MMet app currently provides:

Map with raw report in inset (need to scroll to see the inset report):

Decoded METAR:

Decoded TAF:

Airport Screen:

Adding Arrows for Trending:

Map:

Airport Screen:

Problem:

Also add trending to the decoded METAR and TAF popups --> enough info to explain arrows on the map.

Also add trending symbology to the Route View

Questions:

1) What variables/station types are used for trending? TAF shows improving conditions, but weak on timing.

2) METAR alone is extremely limited in its ability to predict future trends.

3) Any other variables/inputs we can include here?

4) Note that we might be able to trend on different things depending what's shown on the map (include TAFs if they are shown as features)

Recommendations:

1) Age off or reorder the map inset based on where we are in the route. Shouldn't need to scroll to see destination when we are in approach.

Notes from Meeting on 2014-11-11 discussing this page:

• Bob likes symbolic representation associated with text
• Doesn't like arrow on the map – won't ever see it.
• Need a dedicated space for the arrow or something
• Arnaud: That's a rendering issue. Make the arrow a part of the symbol itself?
• Arnaud: Revist METAR symbols in general – put a box around the whole thing?
• Perhaps we ditch all the numerical values in the METAR symbol plot.
• Bob: Perhaps simplify and show colored METAR with wind barb and an arrow.
• Progressive disclosure is important to consider here.
• Keep it really simple on the map and allow drill-down.
• Paddy: Add this to research – how best to represent METAR details?
• TAF --> show improving/deteriorating conditions for each of the individual variable.
• Note there is no flight category listed for the TAF. Should have this for each fcst time period. (not sure if METAR flight cat is stored/delivered or computed on-the-fly)
• What does the arrow represent on the map, or next to a raw METAR? What wx variable are we trending? Do we default to flt cat?
• Do we include TAFs in in METAR trends? Perhaps we should have two arrows – one for past trend and one for future trend?
• Need to consider what stations show up in the inset. Perhaps always show closest, alternate, destination so all three are always visible.
• Perhaps use the background of the inset to indicate the flight category for the station
• Should we have predefined zooms for the pilots? Is infinite zoom confusing?
• Perhaps add map scale – could do this by adding a distance across the baseline of the map next to +/- zoom buttons: "50NM"
• De-emphasize alerting in the presentation we make to the FAA on the 19th. Too thorny. But mention it as a possible focus area.
  • But what do we do about airports critical to the flight route that are trending badly and are not on the map?

Todo:

• Add trending to the popups
• Add past trending to the airport view
  • Add question about whether to show raw METARs along with symbols for each of the past times.
  • Add question about what's the primary variable to trend on with symbols/colors
• Add recommendation for our task list to modify dataserver to always plot stations for origin/destination/waypoint airports
• Mock up something for the wizard view to show the FAA on the 19th.
• Also explore:
  • Winds and runways
  • Show all the METARs at small map scales
  • Data freshness / comm status
• Move towards PowerPoint Presentation for the FAA - import materials into this fmt.