Greetings Aviation Enthusiasts!

The National Weather Service would like to invite you to the Gulf Coast Aviation Weather Safety (GCAWS) Workshop in Westwego, LA (a suburb of New Orleans) on February 24-25, 2023. Workshop participation is encouraged for individuals within the Gulf Coast aviation and meteorology communities and is free-of-charge. Please note in-person workshop attendance will be limited to 100 people each day.

The purpose of the GCAWS Workshop is to promote aviation safety and productivity through improved weather awareness and forecasting services. GCAWS is designed to strengthen communication and best practices between the aviation and weather forecasting communities to support the National Airspace System (NAS).

Aviation Weather Forecasting Workshop (Friday, February 24, 2023) - The first day of the workshop will focus on meeting the needs of Aviation Weather Forecasters. It will feature best practices in aviation weather forecasting, infusing new technology into the forecast process, customer needs, and discussions on weather service innovation. Pilots are welcome on this day to the extent they would like to participate, and we will appreciate their insights in discussions.

Aviator and Controller Weather Workshop (Saturday, February 25, 2023) - The second day of the workshop will focus on meeting aviator and air traffic controller needs for weather safety information, including presentations on aviation weather hazard recognition, mitigation, and avoidance; as well as tips on how to effectively use and understand aviation weather data, products, and websites. We also anticipate FAA Safety Team participation.

The GCAWS Workshop is brought to you by the Houston, Jacksonville, and Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center Weather Service Units and the National Weather Service Forecast Offices in Tampa Bay, Mobile, New Orleans, and Lake Charles.

Should you have any questions, you can email GCAWS Points of Contact: Phil, John, Michael, or Austen at the contact information below:

Phil Grigsby

Lead Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
New Orleans, LA
Phil.Grigsby@noaa.gov

John Helffrich

Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Mobile, AL
John.Helffrich@noaa.gov

Michael Mugrage

Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Mobile, AL
Michael.Mugrage@noaa.gov

Austen Flannery

Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Tampa, FL
Austen.Flannery@noaa.gov

Registration

Call for Presentations

The abstract submission period is now open for the Gulf Coast Aviation Weather Safety Workshop. Please tailor your submissions toward either the meteorologist focused Aviation Weather Forecasting Workshop day on Feb. 24th, or the pilot focused Aviator and Controller Weather Workshop day on Feb. 25th. This will assist the planning committee in developing an agenda for each day. We thank you in advance!

If you are interested in presenting at the Gulf Coast Aviation Safety Workshop, please submit an abstract to the points of contact listed below no later than December 1, 2022. After a submission review period, the planning committee will inform you if you have been selected to present no later than December 15th. We look forward to receiving many informative and interesting presentations!

Phil Grigsby

Lead Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
New Orleans, LA
Phil.Grigsby@noaa.gov

John Helffrich

Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Mobile, AL
John.Helffrich@noaa.gov

Michael Mugrage

Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Mobile, AL
Michael.Mugrage@noaa.gov

Austen Flannery

Meteorologist
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Tampa, FL
Austen.Flannery@noaa.gov

2023 GCAWS AGENDA

An agenda will be posted in late January or early February.

Workshop Location Details

The workshop will take place at the Alario Center which is located in the New Orleans suburb of Westwego, LA. The Alario Center is located at 2000 Bayou Segnette Blvd and is directly off of the Westbank Expressway (US Highway 90) in metro New Orleans.

For those coming from out of the area, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) will be the airport to book flights to and from. The airport is located approximately 15 minutes from the workshop location.

Directions to the Alario Center from the MSY Airport Rental Car Center

• Exit the rental car center and turn left onto Rental Blvd Take Rental Blvd to Jerome S. Glazer Airport Access Rd.
• Turn right onto Jerome S. Glazer Airport Access Rd.
• Take Jerome S. Glazer Airport Access Rd. to Airline Dr.
• Use the 2 left lanes to turn left onto Airline Dr.
• Take Airline Dr. to Dickory Ave.
• Turn right onto Dickory Ave.
• Take Dickory Ave. to Earhart Expy.
• Turn left onto Earhart Expy.
• Take Earhart Expy. to the LA 3152/Clearview Pkwy/Huey P Long Br exit. Stay right at the fork on the exit ramp and follow the ramp as indicated to US 90/Clearview Pkwy./Huey P Long Br
• Take S. Clearview Pkwy. across the Huey P Long Bridge to the US 90 Business East/Westbank Expy. exit. (A sign reading Bayou Segnette State Park/Alario Center is also at this exit)
• Take Westbank Expy to Segnette Blvd.
• Turn right onto Segnette Blvd. and continue to the Alario Center parking lot on the left.

Directions to the Alario Center for those driving in from east of New Orleans

• From I-10, use the left lane to take exit 234C for US-90 BUS W toward Westbank/Claiborne Ave
• Keep left and merge onto US-90 BUS W (Westbank Expressway)
• Turn left onto Segnette Blvd

Directions to the Alario Center for those driving in from west of New Orleans

• From I-10, take exit 226 for Clearview Pkwy S toward Huey Long Brg
• Take S. Clearview Pkwy. across the Huey P Long Bridge to the US 90 Business East/Westbank Expy. exit. (A sign reading Bayou Segnette State Park/Alario Center is also at this exit)
• Take Westbank Expy to Segnette Blvd.
• Turn right onto Segnette Blvd. and continue to the Alario Center parking lot on the left.

Map of the Alario Center Location

Alario Center Layout