FAA
The US FAA improves pilot safety in Hawaii with the deployment of aviation weather-camera systems. Credit: duncan c via Flickr.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking to improve aviation safety in Hawaii with the deployment of weather-camera services.

The cameras are designed to help pilots make proper decisions with near-real-time visual information about the weather conditions along their routes before they depart their airports.

Besides general aviation, the cameras are used by air tour operators, passenger and cargo airlines.

Under the Hawaii project, 23 camera facilities will be installed across the islands. Each facility will house up to four cameras.

Last year, the FAA began engineering surveys and site selections for the installation of the camera systems.

Surveys and site selections have so far been completed on Kauai, Lanai, Maui and Molokai. Next month, the FAA will start surveys on Oahu and the Big Island.

The selection of site locations is based on ‘flight routes and areas where weather conditions commonly affect and interrupt flight operations’.

In March, the agency is planning to commence camera installations on Kauai and images are expected to be on its weather-camera website in the middle of this year.

Installation on other islands will depend on engineering plans, securing leases and permits, and equipment acquisition.

Apart from Hawaii, the cameras are already installed in Alaska and have been successfully running for two decades.

Last year, the FAA helped the Colorado Department of Transportation deploy 52 cameras at 13 locations.