Weather Camera Network created

Weather cameras help pilots by making visible current weather conditions on the ground and in the sky. That’s why Airport View is expanding its network of weather cameras by incorporating existing cameras on the web.

Airport View started the weather camera network by installing high-resolution cameras at airports in Colorado. These cameras quickly became popular web destinations for pilots using those airports, according to company officials, who note that adding more cameras helps pilots confirm conditions all along their planned flight path. The fastest way to expand the weather camera network is to add existing cameras.

“Many cameras are already out there, owned by businesses, state DOT agencies and others,” said Ray Franklin, technology director for Airport View. “Finding the right ones for flight planning can be difficult. We decided to tackle that challenge and put all the weather cameras into one place for better flight planning.”

The AirportView.net web site is now accepting weather camera submissions. Anyone who owns a weather camera may submit it using a simple form. A link to the form is on the home page.

Most cameras that show weather conditions are welcomed. “Our preference is for cameras that fill the frame with mostly sky,” Franklin said. “A 50-50 split is OK, and we will consider other framings if the view is of particular value to local pilots.”

Each camera accepted into the network has its own web page. There is room for a detailed description of the camera location and its view. Time-lapse sequences can be viewed for the last 1, 2 or 4 hours. Alongside the image viewer is a display of the current weather observations from the nearest Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS).

In exchange for sharing the images with the network, Airport View links back to the owner’s website of choice.

Avionics Specialists, LLC has been serving pilots at the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport since 2004. AvSpec, which sells and installs avionics, created and maintains AirportView.net, serving pilots with current weather images at airports, plus directories of airports and Automated Weather Observation Stations (AWOS). AvSpec also installs weather camera systems and maintains AWOS across the Rocky Mountains.

For more information: 970 203-0505 or AvionicsSpecialists.net