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UNICOM Based Weather Reporting Station

Laurel, MT

This project included the installation of a UNICOM Based Weather Reporting Station (UBWS) at the Laurel Municipal Airport. The UBWS provides weather information to airport advisories utilizing the existing UNICOM frequency at the airport.

The UBWS provides certified altimeter settings and visibility to pilots. At Laurel, this information is important as it allows Part 135 operations to be conducted under certain instrument weather conditions. Prior to this project, the only source of weather information available was from the Billings Airport, located approximately 15 miles northeast of Laurel. Weather conditions can vary considerably between Billings and Laurel. Because accurate weather information was not available at the Laurel Airport, pilots conducting Part 135 operations frequently had to land in Billings, if weather minimums were questionable at Laurel.

This project involved researching various weather reporting systems, design and installation of a new power supply, preparing plans and specifications for the installation of the equipment, and assisting the Laurel Airport Authority in administering the FAA grant. The UBWS selected for installation at the Laurel Municipal Airport was Potomac Aviation’s SuperAWOS. This project was completed in 2005. There were no change orders on this project.