Equipped CAP Aircraft to Receive Satellite Data

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit, largely volunteer organization about the noble endeavor of inspiring and facilitating the voluntary contributions of private citizens to the public welfare. By organizing and maintaining a network of pilots and aircraft capable of responding post-haste and in perpetuity to local and national emergencies, the CAP saves lives while fostering interest in civil aviation among American youth.

In August 2022, the Civil Air Patrol announced that it has partnered with SiriusXM—the American satellite broadcasting concern—to deliver the latter’s aviation weather and information services to CAP’s fleet of appositely equipped aircraft.

CAP Chief of Safety Michael Nunemaker states: “SiriusXM’s satellite-provided weather service is an ideal tool for Civil Air Patrol missions. SiriusXM aviation is especially valuable as a part of our strategic weather information toolset where ground-based services may not be able to provide the weather information our pilots need to make decisions.”

SiriusXM vice president Dave Wasby adds: “We are very proud to be supporting Civil Air Patrol with our SiriusXM aviation weather services. SiriusXM is in full support of CAP’s mission, so we are delighted to provide our weather and information for their pilots’ decision-making from coast to coast and from taxi to touchdown.”

SiriusXM aviation weather affords Civil Air Patrol pilots access to features such as high-resolution, high-update-rate, composite weather radar; cloud-to-cloud and ground-to-cloud lightning-strike detection; METAR and TAFs, and Temporary Flight Restrictions. Unlike ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast), SiriusXM aviation and the information and data it provides is not for safety of life. Rather, the service is supplemental and advisory in nature.

Data is of salient importance to the Civil Air Patrol’s search-and-rescue, and emergency response missions. By providing CAP aircrews with real-time information germane to extant and forecast flight environments, SiriusXM demonstrates a magnanimity and a sense of civic responsibility rare among $25-billion companies.

FMI: www.gocivilairpatrol.com