From Andhra village, eye on the sky to save jet fuel

Bangalore: A 50-acre campus in a valley near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh is starting an experiment that can help airlines save fuel costs.
The National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL) at Gadanki village is turning into a control room to assimilate data from a dozen ST (stratosphere-troposphere) radars nationwide, to provide real time weather data to user agencies like the Air Traffic Control (ATC).
Experts estimate there is a potential of a 10 per cent cut in fuel consumption for airlines and consequently cheaper air fares in India, if radar technology can provide real time and more precise weather forecasts than those available.
The NARL houses one of the world's largest weather system radars after Peru, and it collects wind data at heights up to 60 km.
"Our information will be passed on to ATCs in real time to help pilots avoid air pockets or friendly tailwind," explained D Narayana Rao, Director of the NARL. "The savings (in fuel) because of such details of conditions in the atmosphere about 10 to 13 km from the earth could run into a few hundred crore rupees a year."
Airliners in the US and Japan regularly use such data that has helped them report a 10 per cent drop in fuel use over a three-year period.
02/01/07 BR Srikanth/Hindustan Times

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