Honors Projects

Abstract

This honors project examines how emerging aviation technologies can support or automate components of Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs) to improve reporting accuracy, reduce pilot workload, and increase participation within the general aviation (GA) community. PIREPs provide essential real-time weather observations—such as turbulence, icing, and visibility—that supplement automated systems and enhance situational awareness for pilots, air traffic control, and meteorologists. However, reports are vastly underutilized due to workload constraints, inconsistent training, voice-only submission methods, and technological disparities across the GA fleet.

Through a structured analysis of federal aviation documentation, sensor capabilities, human factors research, and recent advancements in automation, this study evaluates the feasibility of automating each of the 13 standard PIREP elements. Findings show that core identification fields (location, time, altitude, aircraft type) and several quantitative weather elements (temperature, wind) can be fully automated using GPS, ADS-B data, onboard sensors, and avionics systems. Other elements—such as sky cover, precipitation, turbulence, and icing—can be partially automated but still require pilot confirmation or contextual judgment. Narrative remarks remain inherently human-reported.

The results indicate that a hybrid “Smart PIREP” framework—combining automated data capture with pilot-provided subjective observations—offers the most practical and safety-enhancing approach. This model reduces reporting friction, improves data accuracy, and maintains essential human oversight. The study provides a foundation for future research and operational testing aimed at modernizing the national PIREP system.

Department

Technology

Major

Aviation Studies: Flight Technology and Operations

First Advisor

Shantanu Gupta

First Advisor Department

Technology

Second Advisor

Art Samel

Second Advisor Department

Geography

Third Advisor

Madi Stump-Smith

Third Advisor Department

Honors Program

Publication Date

Fall 12-7-2025

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