Evaluating the market potential and key features of a nowcasting tool for aviation

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master_Villberg_Eeva_2025.pdf (2.47 MB)

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School of Science | Master's thesis
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Date

2025-04-28

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Business and Organisational Design

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Degree programme

Master's Programme in Information Networks

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en

Pages

73

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Abstract

Weather plays a particularly critical role in aviation, as severe meteorological phenomena pose substantial safety risks, delay operations, and increase aircraft fuel consumption during weather disruptions. Furthermore, climate change represents a growing concern, as it is expected to exacerbate the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. To mitigate the impact of these disruptions, the utilization of precise weather measurement instruments and reliable forecasts is essential. This study examines the market potential of short-term weather forecasting, commonly referred to as nowcasting, within the aviation industry, with a particular focus on air traffic control and flight operations. Additionally, the study identifies which meteorological phenomena should be measured by such a tool and explores the tool features that most effectively align with end-user requirements. The research was conducted as a qualitative study, involving interviews with nine aviation professionals. The interviewees included air traffic controllers, pilots, and experts in aviation meteorology. The empirical data were analyzed using the Gioia methodology. The findings indicate that convective weather poses the most significant challenges to air traffic operations. The implementation of nowcasting has the potential to substantially reduce the cognitive workload of both air traffic controllers and pilots during severe weather events, as data-driven short-term forecasting can support decision-making beyond human judgment. According to the interviewees, a nowcasting tool that integrates a flight route optimization algorithm would be an effective planning tool, enhancing both safety and operational efficiency by enabling targeted decision-making.

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Supervisor

Jääskeläinen, Mikko

Thesis advisor

Kajava, Aleksis

Keywords

nowcasting, aviation weather, convective weather, air traffic control, approach control, aviation meteorology

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202505203883

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[dipl] Perustieteiden korkeakoulu / SCI