We recently had the pleasure of speaking with ARVI users Skynet Academy, Inc. Among those who spoke with us were Mr. Inao and Ms. Sonoda of the Flight Operations Department.

Mr. Sonoda (left) is in charge of flight operation management and strives to grasp and provide information on the situation from the ground in a timely manner to ensure safe flight operations. Mr. Inao (right) is a flight training instructor at Sendai Airport who takes care of and instructs students’ lives on a daily basis. We spoke with them online.

Ease of use and feature updates are attractive

–What was the inspiration for the introduction of ARVI?

Mr. Inao: I had the opportunity to conduct a hearing about ARVI through an acquaintance.
Among these, we were attracted by its “ease of use” and “flexibility in responding to our requests when updating the product”.
We had been using a system that was already in operation in a fixed form, so it was difficult to request additional functions, and we wanted to give it a try.

Ease of viewing the summary screen can shorten the speed to decision making.

–How do you feel about it now that you have actually used it?

Mr. Inao: The visuals are very easy to see, and I find them very user-friendly on a daily basis. The various data is consolidated on a single screen, so information can be viewed quickly and weather conditions can be assessed in a shorter time than before.

Mr. Sonoda: Previously, it was necessary to open each of the visible images, infrared images, and AMeDAS in a separate tab.
This meant that there were more and more screens to look at, and it took a lot of time and effort to organize the information, but with ARVI, everything is concentrated on one screen. You will immediately get an idea of the weather conditions of the location.
I find it very innovative to be able to overlay various weather maps and know the situation at that point in three dimensions. The time from acquiring information to making a decision has been considerably reduced.
We recently had a day of rapidly changing weather, and the METAR/TAF display changed to red and yellow, so we were able to notice on time and respond quickly.

Mr. Sonoda: For those of us in the airline industry who consider safety first, red and yellow are colours that have a strong impact. It is good that the colouring enhances visibility. Thanks to these colours we were able to make radio contact immediately in the event of a sudden change in the weather.

Use of cross-sectional maps to assess the situation in a timely manner according to altitude

–I understand that you are also using the cross-sectional feature, how do you feel about using it?

Mr. Inao: When flying at low altitudes in a small aircraft, the actual weather at the time is very important.
ARVI allows you to see a cross-sectional view of the conditions of the route you want to fly, so you can anticipate where there is likely to be sway or cloud cover depending on altitude.

Mr. Sonoda: It is very helpful to know the situation to some extent in advance and to be able to fly in a prepared situation. It is also reassuring to be able to notice immediately if something changes after flying and to be able to take action such as promptly making radio contact.

Almost the same information as on a PC can be viewed immediately on a mobile device.

–What kind of devices do you usually use ARVI from?

Mr. Inao: Since our company’s main use is in the flight operations department, there are many opportunities to view the information using a PC on a desk.
Besides that, pilots and we also use mobile devices when we want to look at things on the go.
Especially when flying in bad weather, I am still concerned about the situation and use this information to check the weather at my destination and on my route.
In addition to being able to view almost the same information as on a PC, it is also conveniently linked to METAR AUTO so that the timely status can be automatically updated and checked on a single screen every 10 minutes.

Expectations for use in education

–We have heard that you are considering using the system in your pilot training business, which is unique to your company.

Mr. Inao: Yes, we are still in the consideration stage, but we hope to use it for pilot instruction.
In my classes, I teach weather analysis for flight to students, but it is difficult to understand the past and present conditions and to grasp the time line only with existing data when predicting the future.
We hope to create an opportunity for people to experience how weather information changes over time using ARVI’s ability to move and check weather information like a video.
We also hope to introduce ARVI as an example of a cutting-edge on-site tool, since airlines have also introduced ARVI.

Thank you very much.
In providing guidance and performing their duties, Mr. Inao and Ms. Sonoda said they always think about “the importance of correct recognition and judgment of the situation for safe flight operations” and “the need for responsible future prediction in an environment where lives are at stake.” These words were a sense of pride for those involved in the airline industry.
We are honored and humbled once again that ARVI is being used in an environment that demands safety and accuracy.

Interviewed in cooperation with
Skynet Academy Corporation
https://skynet-air.co.jp/