FlightAware’s latest coverage map. Photo courtesy of FlightAware
The Weather Company’s WSI Fusion application is set to be integrated with live data from FlightAware. Under the newly announced agreement, WSI Fusion will feature tracking data from a total of 14,143 FlightAware Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) ground stations in over 160 countries.
The Weather Company, which was acquired by IBM in January 2016, provides insight into changing flight, airport and airspace conditions, on WSI Fusion.
The IBM business’ WSI Fusion would then have access to FlightAware’s private network of more than 12,000 ADS-B ground stations. According to the Weather Company, the real-time forecast weather information was “recently cited as the world’s most accurate forecast,” by ForecastWatch, and the addition of FlightAware data would give the company access to “a full complement” of worldwide aircraft tracking data.
“What we’re supplying The Weather Company with includes all of our terrestrial ADS-B data, terrestrial MLAT data, our ANSP information and that includes radar positions, flight plans, also providing oceanic positions from ANSPs and estimated positions when aircraft are out of coverage,” FlightAware Business Development Manager Max Tribolet told Avionics.
The Weather Company describes WSI Fusion as being capable of facilitating “timely communications between aircraft and flight crew, while integrating flight data from ASDE-X; FAA ASDI: USA, CAN, UK, Oceanic; EUROCONTROL: CFMU/EFD; ADS-B, MLAT internationally; and customer data from ACARS, and SATCOM.” Recently, The Weather Company has continued to evolve the capabilities it provides to aircraft operators, including through a partnership with Gogo Business Aviation that Avionics recently profiled involving turbulence detection software.
JP Gorsky, director of aviation solutions at The Weather Company, said the integration of FlightAware tracking data into WSI Fusion will “enhance operational decisions” for existing WSI Fusion customers.
FlightAware’s global network of ADS-B and Mode S receivers are provide updated aircraft positioning information, in addition to the more than 50 different government, air traffic control and private data link sources it receives. Tribolet said the Texas-based company is also still expanding its ground network to improve coverage for operators.
“The goal is to have the highest frequency of position data regardless of what source it comes from,” said Tribolet.