Airports that have installed SayWeather systems can now make METARs for their airports accessible through ForeFlight.
The completion of a collaborative effort between Connectsix, which makes SayWeater, and ForeFlight means that SayWeather METARs can now be accessed through ForeFlight’s “airport view,” according to company officials.
SayWeather is an automated weather reporting system that retrieves weather from an on-airport solar-powered weather station and provides that information via an AWOS-like advisory over the airport’s UNICOM frequency, company officials explain.
In flight, the pilot keys their microphone four times and SayWeather responds with an audio advisory that includes wind speed, wind direction, gusts, temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting.
When flight planning, ForeFlight shows airport METARs that include SayWeather advisory information along with added text for density altitude and humidity.
ForeFlight METARs for SayWeather PRO+ equipped airports will provide additional information if optional sensors are installed. This can include visibility, sky condition, cloud height and present weather (precipitation).
“We’re excited to provide weather information to pilots by means of the world’s most popular flight app. In addition to SayWeather’s UNICOM-based VHF radio access, having SayWeather’s airport weather available in a comprehensive aviation app like ForeFlight gives pilots and airport operators another convenient method to retrieve up-to-the minute weather during flight planning and in-flight,” said Scott Samson, Co-founder of Connectsix.
“METARs from SayWeather-equipped airports are updated on ForeFlight several times per hour so pilots are always assured of seeing current, accurate surface conditions. Pilots don’t need to rely on a distant AWOS, which could be reporting conditions that don’t match those at the destination-airport,” said Larry Langebrake, Co-founder of Connectsix.
When compared to an AWOS, typically costing well over $100,000 to procure and install, SayWeather is an affordable alternative for small municipal and private airports and heliports, with complete systems starting at $5,245, according to Connectsix officials.
Connectsix is offering internet weather publishing, including connectivity to ForeFlight, free to SayWeather-equipped airports through the end of the 2021. For pilots looking for the iOS ForeFlight app, it is available to users starting at $99.99 for a year subscription.