Singapore establishes new programme to tackle the effects of weather on aviation

Singapore will certainly reinforce air travel atmospheric abilities and local partnership to much better take on the impacts of climate on air travel.

The Civil Air Travel Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and National Setting Company (NEA) of Singapore have actually developed a brand-new multidisciplinary Air travel Meteorological Program to unite air travel and weather forecasting professionals along with air travel firms and unions to develop research study, advancement and procedures abilities to much better forecast, minimize and handle the impacts of climate on air traffic control service, airline companies and flight terminal procedures.

The program concentrates on 5 concern locations, each resolving an important climate sensation that impacts air travel procedures in Singapore and the area:

Lightning. Singapore, situated near the Equator, is among the globe’s most lightning-prone nations. The Changi Environment Terminal observes lightning on virtually one in 2 days yearly. CAAS and NEA will certainly intend to reduce the influence of cloud-to-ground lightning by enhancing lightning projection accuracy, with efforts consisting of a much more exact thickness map of lightning strikes at Changi Flight terminal based upon historic information, electro-magnetic modelling of lightning communication with airplane, flight terminal framework and humans and formulas to improve nowcasting of lightning occasions and zone-based lightning threat evaluation.

• Disturbance. Extreme disturbance cases have actually climbed internationally, positioning safety and security dangers to travelers and staff. In September 2025, Singapore came to be the very first nation to identify serious disturbance as a significant in-flight threat, with CAAS’ National Air Travel Safety And Security Strategy (2025-2027). Both companies will certainly look for to reinforce in-flight disturbance forecast and supply airline companies with even more prompt, reputable and workable climate details.
  
• Convective Weather Condition. Weather-related trip hold-ups and diversions have actually enhanced. Convective climate in the area suggests that electrical storms creating wind shear can take place and dissipate quickly, making them difficult to forecast. CAAS and NEA will certainly function in the direction of enhancing convective climate projecting to sustain real-time decision-making and optimize flight terminal procedures.
• Surface Area Winds. For safety and security factors, CAAS air web traffic controllers require to establish path instructions for airplane to fly right into the wind for liftoff and touchdown. Quickly changing winds can cause numerous path adjustments, lowering path capability and posture difficulties to air web traffic controllers and pilots. CAAS and NEA will certainly function to boost the precision and timeliness of surface area wind projections to much better prepare for path adjustments and optimize path usage.
• Contrails. CAAS and NEA will certainly deal with enhancing clinical expertise on contrails specifically in the Asia-Pacific area where the weather vary from that in Europe and The United States and Canada and information is restricted. This will certainly aid notify future reduction techniques and add to international plan advancement.

An Air Travel Meteorological Program Guiding Board has actually been established to guide the job of the program. The Board is co-chaired by Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS and Mr Wong Kang Jet, Ceo of NEA. Various other participants of the Board consist of elderly reps from Changi Flight terminal Team, Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA), SIA Design Firm, SATS, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and International Centre for Air Travel Advancement (ICAI). The Board will certainly launch tasks to create brand-new ideas of procedure and devices, and evaluation plans to sustain their fostering if required.

As climate patterns and the impacts of climate on air travel procedures go across geographical borders, CAAS states local partnership is required for efficient reduction techniques. Subsequently, CAAS and NEA have actually started and authorized a Letter of Intent to work together with 6 various other air navigating company and atmospheric company, the Civil Air Navigating Solutions Organisation (CANSO) and others.

Under the Letter of Intent, the celebrations consent to reinforce local assimilation, recognize and seek joint r & d concerns, improve sharing and assimilation of climate information for much better situational understanding and choice production, and develop ability to better take on the difficulties presented by unfavorable climate and handle its functional effects.

To find out more

Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore