[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67336-67337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26386]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0649]


Discontinuation of Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service 
(HIWAS) in the Contiguous United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of final decision.

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SUMMARY: This action sets forth the final determination by the FAA to 
discontinue the Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service (HIWAS).

DATES: This action begins January 8, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jeff Black, Flight Service, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20591; telephone: (202) 267-6500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service (HIWAS) is a continuous 
broadcast of weather advisories over a limited nationwide network of 
VORs that provide pilots with meteorological information relating to 
hazardous weather. Since the early 1980s, the broadcast, available in 
various locations of the contiguous United States (CONUS) allows pilots 
to access hazardous weather information while inflight without going 
through a Flight Service specialist.
    With the advent of the internet and other technology, the demand 
for inflight services from Flight Service specialists has declined. 
Staffing was 3,000+ specialists in more than 300 facilities during the 
early 1980s and now consists of three hub facilities. In 2018, radio 
contacts dropped to less than 900 per day from an average of 10,000 
radio contacts per day.
    Demand for inflight services has diminished since the inception of 
HIWAS while access has never been greater, which indicates that pilots 
are migrating to other means of obtaining inflight weather advisories. 
Multiple sources are available that provide access to weather and 
aeronautical information to pilots in the cockpit, often presented in a 
graphical format, making it easier to visualize what is going on along 
the route of flight. Pilots are no longer limited to only contacting a 
Flight Service specialist in order to adhere to 14 CFR 91.103, numerous 
options are available to them to help maintain awareness of hazardous 
weather advisories along their route of flight.
    On July 23, 2018, the FAA published a notice of proposal to 
discontinue HIWAS in the CONUS.

Discussions of Comments

    The FAA received 27 comments on the proposed agency action. The 
following summary identifies the issues raised from all the commenters 
to our initial proposal but does not restate each comment received. 
Thirteen (13) comments either supported the initiative or were neutral 
towards the FAA's proposal. Three (3) comments did not apply as they 
referred to HIWAS in Alaska, which does not exist. Of the remaining 
comments, a number of them focused on technology and the inability of 
pilots to obtain weather from alternate sources such as Electronic

[[Page 67337]]

Flight Bags (EFB), Flight Information Services-Broadcast (FIS-B), or 
similar digital products. Commenters cited costs, aging aircraft, and 
lack of infrastructure as reasons to retain the broadcast.
    FAA air traffic controllers (ATC) will continue to advise pilots of 
hazardous weather that may affect operations within 150 nautical miles 
of their sector or area of jurisdiction. Hazardous weather information 
includes Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET), Significant 
Meteorological Information (SIGMET), Convective SIGMET (WST), Urgent 
Pilot Reports (UUA), and Center Weather Advisories (CWA). ATC will also 
direct pilots to contact a Flight Service Specialist through an air-to-
ground radio frequency if they need additional information.
    A number of commenters, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots 
Association (AOPA), cited safety concerns with the removal of this 
service because pilots may unexpectedly encounter hazardous weather and 
have no other means to obtain the information. In addition, AOPA 
surveys indicated that a small segment of pilots rely on HIWAS to 
satisfy their need for adverse weather information while en route. The 
FAA instituted FIS-B as a replacement for this legacy system that 
provides a range of aeronautical information products and often in a 
graphical format, which is not available via HIWAS. For pilots who 
choose not to equip their aircraft with this new technology, as noted 
earlier, a Flight Service Specialist is still available over a radio 
outlet.
    A Safety Risk Management Panel was held on February 26, 2019 to 
review this proposal and address the concerns raised by 
stakeholders.\1\ The panel consisted of representatives throughout the 
FAA and industry, including AOPA. The panel reviewed all comments noted 
above and the participants were unanimous in their opinion that 
removing the legacy service would not add any additional risk to the 
National Airspace System.
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    \1\ The SRMP was held after the close of the comment period to 
address concerns raised by commenters.
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    To the extent that AOPA expressed concerns that FAA should update 
its guidance material to address the discontinuance of HIWAS, the FAA 
notes that all FAA documents, exams, and orders will be updated to 
reflect this change. The FAA published articles and safety team emails 
to inform pilots of this change and will issue Notices to Airmen 
(NOTAMs) for every outlet where the service is to be discontinued prior 
to removal from the charts and other publications.

Final Decision

    In accordance with the above, the FAA will discontinue the 
Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service in the contiguous United 
States, effective January 8, 2020.
    As part of FAA efforts to modernize and streamline service 
delivery, the agency will discontinue the Hazardous Inflight Weather 
Advisory Service. The FAA will issue Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) and 
conduct outreach to inform pilots that the service is no longer 
available.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on: December 3, 2019.
Steven Villanueva,
Flight Service Director, Federal Aviation Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-26386 Filed 12-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P