TIPS (TAF Interactive Production System)
The objectives
  1. to deliver a set of tools to aid forecasters in the different stages of TAF production,
  2. to contribute to the standardisation of the production method and presentation of aviation meteorology products.
The Work Programme
The work was based mainly on exchange of ideas and detailed accounts of methods and algorithms. However in the subprojects where software may be made independent of national implementation, the Programme extended to software development and exchange. The list of tasks addressed by the programme are as follows :
  • Derivation of parameter values from NWP output
  • TAF encoding
  • forecaster interaction
  • basic quality control of manmade TAFs
  • Monitoring
  • Verification
Organisation
The Programme was proposed by the working group for Graphical Interaction of COST-78. The work started on an informal basis in April 1998, the members of the group sharing the work between themselves.
The Programme was agreed formally by the EUMETNET Council on 23 September 1998. On November 2000, the Council agreed a modification of the programme objectives, cancelling the development of the expert system which was planed for TAF encoding. The programme completed successfully its other tasks and was ended on 30 September 2001.
The Responsible Member was the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
The Programme Manager was Mr Arnulf HEIDEGARD.
 
Updated : 18 June 2008