RESEARCH ON AN AIRBORNE WIND SHEAR SENSOR

THE RECOGNIZED LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR PHENOMENON KNOWN AS A MICROBURST POSES A SERIOUS AIR SAFETY THREAT TO COMMERCIAL AVIATION WHILE IN A LANDING OR POSES A SERIOUS COMMERCIAL AVIATION WHILE IN A LANDING OR TAKEOFF PATTERN. THIS LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO DE A THIS LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO SEVERAL CRASHES OF COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS. THESE MICROBURSTS ARE INTENSE DOWNDRAFTS EMANATING FROM SMALL CONVECTIVE CLOUDS. COMMON CHARACTERISTICS ARE INTENSE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WITH LITTLE OR NO RAIN AT THE SURFACE AND LITTLE OR NO ECHO ON CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT RADARS. IN PHASE I WE PROPOSE TO RESEARCH THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF AN AIRBORNE WIND SHEAR SENSOR FOR COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS. THIS REMOTE SENSOR WOULD PROVIDE WIND MEASUREMENTS AHEAD OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH, THEREBY DETECTING AND MEASURING THE MAGNITUDE OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR BEFORE IT IS ENCOUNTERED. SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE THE PILOT WITH SUFFICIENT ADVANCE WARNING TO AVOID POTENTIAL AIRCRAFT DISASTERS.