New ADDS Tool For HEMS Operations

While still experimental in nature, the FAA has published guidance material (Notice N 8000.33) allowing principal operations inspectors (POIs) to approve the use, by Part 135 certificate holders conducting helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations, of a new Aviation Digital Data System (ADDS) experimental HEMS ceiling and visibility weather product.

HAI tells ANN that they welcome this development, which is an outgrowth of an FAA HEMS Weather Summit held early in 2006, at which HAI and other representatives of the HEMS industry encouraged the FAA to accelerate the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) development of a system to provide usable ceiling and visibility data between existing reporting and forecasting stations.

Because the new ceiling and visibility tool is still considered an “experimental” product, it cannot be used to support IFR operations.

The only approved use of this new tool is in VFR operations and then only in the context of supporting a “no-go” decision.

Despite the experimental designation for this program, HAI encourages all HEMS operators to become familiar with the new weather tool.

FMI: www.weather.aero/hems