General Aviation Summit

FSS RENAISSANCE

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recognizing the need to establish a customer-focus philosophy convened the General Aviation Summit. The Summit included flight service system customers and representatives from FAA labor and management.

These recommendations are the consensus of the Pilot Weather Briefing (PWB) and ICAO workgroups. These workgroups reached agreement on policy, procedural, and infrastructure changes necessary to meet current and future system needs. Representatives of the organizations comprising this workgroup will actively participate in the writing of the final report and the development and implementation of agency action plans. Additional meetings of the PWB and ICAO workgroups will be required to review the reports, approve action plans, and monitor implementation.

The actions contained in this report are bold and of critical need. Clearly, the primary theme of these workgroups recommendations are a new customer-focus philosophy within the Flight Service system, emphasizing a high level of personal service that incorporates an integrated partnership with users. In order to meet the established goals of the Department of Transportation's "Safer Skies" initiative, a strategic investment is necessary to significantly improve general aviation safety and strengthen the agency's ability to meet immediate and future customer needs.

SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS.

The following is an overview of the recommendations agreed upon by all participants. While we recognize that some of the recommendations require re-allocation of Agency resources, many of these improvements do not require additional funding. It should be noted that all of these recommendations are essential. They are not prioritized.

POLICY

• Establish a new customer focus philosophy within the Flight Service System, emphasizing a high level of personal service that incorporates an integrated partnership with users. 
• Develop new aviation-related policies that satisfy enhanced customer service needs.
• Place a high emphasis on customer service needs while de-emphasizing the legal motives for briefing elements. Do not include information just for liability purposes i.e., VNR statement and International Disclaimer.
• Rewrite FAA order 7000.2A to allow AFSS's to provide International Weather Briefings.

SERVICE

• Expand inflight access to weather and aeronautical information for pilots. 
• Implement service changes to reflect the manner in which AFSS's interactwith customers. This includes more weather interpretation and short-term forecasting, replacement of the current NOTAM system, and adapting to serve a new generation of pilots in the ever-changing aviation world.
• Implement new services that provide value and increased safety, while focusing on achieving mission success through partnership.
• Implement changes to improve DUATS.
• Achieve the ability for one stop pilot weather briefings for domestic and international destinations.

TRAINING

• Establish a national recurrent training program that focuses on customer needs.
• Enhance FSS training and quality control.
• Improve interaction and develop common aviation understanding between ATCS and customers. Improve FSS quality control by tasking NWS to develop and staff a National Training Quality Control Office.
• Provide additional training on international services.

EQUIPMENT

• Install Aircraft Situational Displays (ASD) in all AFSS's.
• Provide AFSS's with access to NWS ADDS and other graphics products, as well as access to FISDL products.
• Provide AFSS's with enhanced voice communication systems and increased data communications capacity.
• Provide high-speed Internet capability to AFSS operational positions to allow for retrieval of weather products.
• Provide en-route and terminal controllers with weather hazard graphical displays.
• Establish a commonly shared database of weather and flight data for use by ATCS and customers. 
• Create simplified, automated methods to enter, retrieve, disseminate, and display PIREPs.

WEATHER PRODUCTS

• Provide highly accurate, precise, and timely operational weather graphics that show current and forecast weather hazard areas of instrument conditions, thunderstorms, icing, and turbulence.
• Provide the same or similar weather products to all ATCS and customers. 
• Improve accuracy and precision of weather products to increase pilot confidence in the information received compared to the weather encountered.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Fully fund the FAA aviation weather research program.

INDUSTRY EFFORTS

• Increase pilot understanding of FAA services.
• Increase the number and improve the quality of PIREPs through pilot education.

ATTENDEES

In attendance were representatives from:

• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
• General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
• National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
• Small Aircraft Manufacturers Association (SAMA)
• The Ninety-Nines
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regional air traffic operations specialists
• Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) facility managers and supervisors
• National Association of Air Traffic Specialists (NAATS) Board of Director representatives