Description of convective-scale numerical weather simulation use in a flight simulator within the Flysafe project

Within the framework of the Flysafe project, dedicated tools aiming at improving flight safety are developed. In particular, efforts are directed towards the development of the Next Generation-Integrated Surveillance System (NG-ISS), i.e. a combination of new on-board systems and ground-based tools which provides the pilot with integrated information on three risks playing a major role in aircraft accidents: collision with another aircraft, collision with terrain, and adverse weather conditions. For the latter, Weather Information Management Systems (WIMSs) based on nowcasts of atmospheric hazards are developed. This paper describes the set-up of a test-bed for the NG-ISS incorporating two types of WIMS data, those related to aircraft in-flight icing and thunderstorm risks. The test-bed is based on convective-scale numerical simulations of a particular weather scenario with thunderstorms and icing in the area of the Innsbruck airport. Raw simulated fields as well as more elaborate diagnostics (synthetic reflectivity and satellite brightness temperature) feed both the flight simulator including the NG-ISS and the algorithms in charge of producing WIMS data. WIMS outputs based on the synthetic data are discussed, and it is indicated that the high-resolution simulated fields are beneficial for the NG-ISS test-bed purposes and its technical feasibility.