Aviation weather and data innovation

(a) Airborne observation program (1) In general The Under Secretary shall maintain an airborne observation program (in this subsection referred to as the program) for the acquisition of atmospheric sensor data and the deployment of critical atmospheric sensors, including in partnership with the weather enterprise. (2) Activities The program shall include activities that carry out the following: (A) Procurement of weather data available from commercial aircraft, as determined by the Under Secretary. (B) Acquisition of additional vertical profile observations that provide spatial and temporal density, as determined by the Under Secretary. (C) Analysis of procured data when incorporated into the unified forecast system of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in order to provide improved forecast information for aircraft. (3) Budget The Under Secretary shall submit to Congress, with the budget of the President submitted under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for a fiscal year, a proposed budget for the activities described in paragraph (2) for that fiscal year, including and analysis of activities that can be complemented by aircraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (4) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program. (b) Aviation weather and turbulence forecasting (1) In general The Director of the National Weather Service shall— (A) include turbulence events, icing conditions, or other phenomena in the forecasting capabilities of the Aviation Weather Center and the Center Weather Service Units; and (B) deliver operational forecasts with consistent, timely, and accurate weather and turbulence information for the airspace system and the protection of lives and property. (2) Coordination In carrying out paragraph (1), the Director of the National Weather Service shall— (A) give consideration to recommendations of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under section 44720 of title 49, United States Code; and (B) improve weather and turbulence forecasting capabilities by— (i) designating or establishing within the Federal Government an interagency working group to determine weather and environmental data or observation requirements, needs, and potential solutions related to aviation weather and turbulence modeling or forecasting; (ii) identifying current and future potential data gaps related to turbulence events or phenomena that can— (I) identify or inform route-specific flight planning; and (II) be supplemented or filled by commercial aviation tools; (iii) transitioning research initiatives and pilot programs, including a pilot program of instrumentation deployed on commercial aircraft for observing atmospheric composition and other atmospheric factors and support for the evaluation of a sustained observing network using such instrumentation, into operations that improve the forecasting capabilities of the Aviation Weather Center; (iv) developing and deploying improved probabilistic aviation weather forecast guidance technology; and (v) updating interagency agreements as appropriate, including to address reimbursable agreements. (c) Next generation aviation research Section 102(b)(3) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)(3)), as amended by section 111(a) of this Act, is further amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following: (F) aviation weather phenomena, including atmospheric composition and turbulence, to improve scientific understanding and forecast capabilities for the airspace system;. (d) Aviation information dissemination The Under Secretary shall ensure the Aviation Weather Center is able, to the maximum extent possible, to disseminate in a timely manner full-resolution aviation weather data, forecasts, and information to meet the needs of aviation users. (e) Provision of weather services to the Federal Aviation Administration (1) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the aviation weather services provided to the Federal Aviation Administration by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are critical to the functions of the Federal Aviation Administration and the safety of the flying public. (2) Interagency agreement and supplemental services (A) In general The Under Secretary and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall enter into or otherwise participate in an interagency agreement for a period of not less than 5 years under which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides weather services to the Federal Aviation Administration. (B) Request for proposals To inform the interagency agreement under subparagraph (A), the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall, in consultation with the Under Secretary, request proposals from the weather enterprise to evaluate commercial opportunities to supplement, and not replace, weather services or data at central weather service units provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (C) Compensation The interagency agreement under subparagraph (A) shall ensure that the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration fairly compensates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in a timely manner, for utilizing services under this agreement. (3) Briefings Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter through December 31, 2030, the Under Secretary and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives on the status of— (A) the provision by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of weather services to the Federal Aviation Administration; and (B) the interagency agreement under paragraph (2).