Review of AMOIS and AMFIS requirements - team-sx/iwxxm-sx GitHub Wiki
This page updated on: 30 Aug 2026
Version of Internal Reference Document - AMOIS and AMFIS reviewed: Version 1.0 after ICAO WG-MRAD/6 May 2026
AMOIS:
- AMOIS provides all meteorological observational data at (or at the proximity of) an aerodrome.
- [Discussion postponed] Different exchange patterns (publish/subscribe and request/reply) may have different needs on the outgoing format. For example, publish/subscribe needs to pack into a file before passing to a topic. Do we want to expose individual WxObject in the file or one would like to use
iwxxm:MeteorologicalFeatureCollectionto package the WxObjects before putting it into the file? - So each WxObject object, no matter it is representing what location (e.g. the aerodrome as a whole (like 8km from ARP), RWY TDZ, certain significant point, etc.), it should bear a relationship to the aerodrome so that providers can collect and users can choose from the IS. To do so we need relevant taxonomy and ontology (e.g. Aerodrome -> Runway -> TDZ, Aerodrome -> Vicinity -> Significant point, etc.). Can we get that from AIXM?
- [Discussion postponed] Different exchange patterns (publish/subscribe and request/reply) may have different needs on the outgoing format. For example, publish/subscribe needs to pack into a file before passing to a topic. Do we want to expose individual WxObject in the file or one would like to use
- In the most basic format, the AMOIS will provide the same information currently contained in a METAR, SPECI, local routine report, and/or local special report. This information is considered as mandatory.
- Currently the intended recipients and hence the distribution means of METAR and LRR are different (global Vs local). Will they be mixed in a single request/reply retrieval? We will need to be careful in indicating (and make sure the users understand) their difference, viz wind in METAR even though represents the wind condition within 8km from ARP of the aerodrome it does not necessarily be the same as the wind in LRR TDZ of a runway. Are we going to let them choose at will or introduce some metadata like "fidelity" or "zoom level" to help them understand the difference?
- AMOIS also allows the option for meteorological service providers, with the capability to do so, to include a greater variety of observations and update rates, based on local or national agreements; rather than one observation every half hour (or hour), a user could access observations from a specific sensor (location) at times or update rates more relevant to their needs.
- Location (e.g. TDZ) should take precedence than sensor in retrieving information since a location can be supported by multiple sensors, and it also ties in with AMFIS in which forecasts at the location instead of where the sensor is will be given. Note that "location" here is a proxy to the sensors involved so that in the situation when a single anemometer is serving an aerodrome retrieving TDZ, MID, FAR, and METAR will effectively retrieving the same information 4 times. Having said that, shouldn't IWXXM be providing a generic view of the information to be retrieved instead of aerodrome specific ones?