The SFO Stratus Initiative Camera System is a joint proof of concept prototype developed by NASA/Ames Research Center in collaboration with the FAA Aviation Weather Research Program and our Center Weather Service Unit.

The purpose of the project is to better understand and forecast the short term onset and dissipation of the low clouds (stratus) in the approach zone at San Francisco International Airport.

The forecast onset and dissipation of low clouds is of major concern of the Center Weather Service Unit, the FAA and the aviation community. Low clouds prevent aircraft from landing on the two primary runways at the same time because the two runways are spaced much closer together than normal. The inability to execute dual approaches reduces the airport arrival rate by half, from 60 to 30 aircraft per hour, which is far below scheduled demand levels during peak arrival periods each day.

The system consists of remote controlled cameras located on top of the San Francisco International Airport controlled by our CWSU meteorologists and are accessible via a secure web site and San Carlos Airport Traffic Control Towers, which are now maintained by the San Carlos Pilots Organization.

EXAMPLE OF STRATUS INITIATIVE CAMERAS

Each camera can provide a 220 degree field of view and each camera has rotate, zoom and tilt capabilities. This enables our staff meteorologists to see the sky conditions as they change thereby providing a real-time evaluation of the conditions along the approach zone.