NTSB Issues Safety Recommendation to FAA Regarding Surface Weather Station Awareness

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued safety recommendation A-16-048, identified by reference number CEN15FA044. This directive is addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration and focuses on operational awareness of meteorological data sources. The core requirement mandates that air traffic controllers and their respective supervisors must be thoroughly familiar with all surface weather stations located within their designated area of responsibility. This includes ensuring knowledge of stations that are not situated at airports, thereby expanding the scope beyond standard aerodrome-based reporting to include any relevant ground-level observation points in the controlled airspace.