NAATS Press Release:

International Cautionary Advisory - PRESS RELEASE - November 30, 2000 - 10:30 Mountain Time - 

For immediate Release

US pilots unable to obtain Canadian Weather - Across the country pilots, flying into Canada are unable to obtain vital weather necessary to make go/no-go decisions, through their normal channels. 

The National Association of Air Traffic Specialists (NAATS) has learned that US and Canadian weather data bases are unable to communicate this morning with each other and as a result pilots are not getting the data they need to make decisions on whether or not to fly trans-border flights.

Technicians and programmers at the National Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration are working to isolate and repair the problem.

Meanwhile, pilots are either grounded, or forced to call their destination Flight Service Stations (FSS) to obtain weather conditions. FSS' provide crucial data to pilots who must decide whether weather conditions are sufficient to fly safely.

FSS Air Traffic Controllers (represented by NAATS) are fielding calls from pilots in Canada, trying to obtain US weather while, at the same time, trying to explain to US pilots heading to Canada that their destination weather is unavailable.

While this should have little impact on Air Carrier operations between the countries, private and business pilots are affected tremendously, particularly with the winter weather conditions.

For more information on NAATS and the Air Traffic Controllers they represent, visit www.naats.org

---Wally Pike -- NAATS President
(301) 933-6228
---John S Dibble - NAATS Public Relations
(303) 693-8570 - Denver CO