The Colorado Division of Aeronautics and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced plans to enhance the Division’s network of 13 Mountain Automated Weather Observing Systems (AWOS) with real-time camera data. In addition to receiving accurate and certified weather information, pilots will soon have the ability to visually observe weather conditions high in the Colorado Rockies before they’ve even departed the airport.
This effort is made possible through a partnership developed between the Colorado Division of Aeronautics and the FAA. For many years, the FAA has administered a Weather Camera Program in the State of Alaska, providing visual weather information to pilots in Alaska’s challenging environment. Currently, the Alaska Weather Camera Program has a network of over 200 cameras. The 13 cameras to be installed in Colorado will be the first in the U.S. to be incorporated into the FAA Weather Camera Program outside of the State of Alaska.
“ The Colorado Division of Aeronautics is excited to have this opportunity to partner with the FAA in yet another joint effort to enhance aviation safety in Colorado,” said CDOT Aeronautics Directory David Ulane. “The Division is proud to continue our heritage of pioneering new initiatives that further our mission to help advance a safe, efficient, and effective air and space system in Colorado.”
The Colorado Aeronautical Board recently approved $226,000 of funding from the Colorado Aviation Fund for a reimbursable agreement with the FAA Weather Camera Program office. Under this collaborative agreement, the FAA will install and configure weather cameras on each of Colorado’s Mountain AWOS units. The still images captured by each camera will be integrated into the FAA’s weather camera website: https://avcams.faa.gov/
This innovative project marks the third such collaboration between the Division of Aeronautics and FAA, where the Division has funded FAA-led safety improvements on our behalf. Previous reimbursable agreements with FAA include the development of Colorado’s Wide Area Multi-Lateration System, and ongoing Remote Tower Project at the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL).