Atmospheric data aggregation and forecasting system

An atmospheric data aggregation and forecasting system for providing improved atmospheric forecasts to a pilot of a member aircraft of an airborne network of member aircraft, said weather data aggregation and forecasting system, comprising:

• an airborne network system (ANS) positioned on the member aircraft adapted to receive incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data regarding atmospheric conditions from associated airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft, said ANS also being adapted to re-transmit said incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data to airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft;
• an air data system for sensing local pressure and temperature conditions for providing air data system output data;
• a navigation system for calculating geo-referenced aircraft position, said navigation system providing navigation system output data;
• an inertial data system (IDS) for sensing member aircraft attitude, angular rates and accelerations, said IDS providing inertial data system output data;
• a data processing system (DPS) coupled to said airborne network system, said air data system, said navigation system and said inertial data system, said DPS for generating the member aircraft's perspective of said atmospheric conditions, based on said incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data, said air data system output data, said navigation system output data, and said inertial data system output,
• said DPS providing crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and network directed DPS output atmospheric data, said network directed DPS output atmospheric data being provided to said ANS to be transmitted to other airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft;
• a predictive windshear detection system for collecting weather data from the atmosphere in the vicinity of said member aircraft and transmitting predictive windshear detection system output data to said DPS;
• an airborne display system (ADS) positioned on the member aircraft and coupled to said data processing system (DPS), said airborne display system being adapted to receive said crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and in response thereto display desired atmospheric forecast conditions;
• and,
• an airborne caution/advisory system (AC/AS) coupled to said DPS and being adapted to receive said crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and in response thereto alert the pilot(s) to forecasts of hazardous flight conditions in the vicinity of the member aircraft and/or its planned route.

An airborne network of member aircraft capable of communicating with each other for aggregating data and providing atmospheric forecasting, each member aircraft in said airborne network having an atmospheric data aggregation and forecasting system for providing improved atmospheric forecasts to a pilot of a member aircraft, each said weather data aggregation and display system, comprising:

• an airborne network system (ANS) positioned on the member aircraft adapted to receive incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data regarding atmospheric conditions from associated airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft, said ANS also being adapted to re-transmit said incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data to airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft;
• an air data system for sensing local pressure and temperature conditions for providing air data system output data;
• a navigation system for calculating geo-referenced aircraft position, said navigation system providing navigation system output data;
• an inertial data system (IDS) for sensing member aircraft attitude, angular rates and accelerations, said IDS providing inertial data system output data;
• a data processing system (DPS) coupled to said airborne network system, said air data system, said navigation system and said inertial data system, said DPS for generating the member aircraft's perspective of said atmospheric conditions, based on said incoming geo-referenced atmospheric data, said air data system output data, said navigation system output data, and said inertial data system output,
• said DPS providing crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and network directed DPS output atmospheric data, said network directed DPS output atmospheric data being provided to said ANS to be transmitted to other airborne network systems positioned on other member aircraft;
• an airborne display system (ADS) positioned on the member aircraft and coupled to said data processing system (DPS), said airborne display system being adapted to receive said crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and in response thereto display desired atmospheric forecast conditions;
• and,
• an airborne caution/advisory system (AC/AS) coupled to said DPS and being adapted to receive said crew directed DPS output atmospheric data and in response thereto alert the pilot(s) to forecasts of hazardous flight conditions in the vicinity of the member aircraft and/or its planned route.