Development of Low-level Turbulence Advisory System for Aircraft Operation

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has developed the LOw-level Turbulence Advisory System (LOTAS) together with Osaka University. LOTAS introduces new features such as low-cost Doppler radar/lidar, landing difficulty estimation, short-term prediction of radar echo distribution and text message uplink using ACARS to resolve issues related to existing low-level windshear detection and warning systems. Operational evaluation results indicate that LOTAS is an effective aid for alerting aircraft operators to low-level turbulence and also for making decisions on the appropriate timing for landing.