The third biannual meeting of the KAIROS project took place from February 26 to 28, 2025, hosted by the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) in Helsinki. This event brought together key project partners, both in person and remotely, for three days of in-depth discussions and collaborative sessions focused on advancing the project’s innovative meteorological solutions for air traffic management.
Day 1: Project Overview
The meeting commenced on February 26 with a dedicated sidebar session on convection validation. This session involved AI METHODS (project coordinator), CRIDA/ENAIRE, and MetSafe, whose VigiAero tool will play a crucial role in the validation process. Participants explored methodologies for evaluating forecasts and integrating them into aviation decision-support systems.
In the afternoon, the full consortium gathered for a comprehensive project management overview. Discussions encompassed the progress of the last six months, including updates on communication, dissemination, and exploitation activities.
Day 2: Technical Discussions on KAIROS Solutions
February 27 was dedicated to in-depth technical exchanges on the two core KAIROS solutions:
Solution 1 – Convection Model
Experts analyzed the maturity of the convection forecasting model applied at a European, national, and a local scale, reviewing baselines and showcasing the performance of the model in a visual way. A significant outcome of the session was the presentation of the partners contributions to the Operational Validation Plan to ensure the integration of these models into real-world aviation applications.
Solution 2 – Additional Weather Models
The final session of the day addressed additional meteorological models concerning low visibility, turbulence, High Altitude Ice Crystals (HAIC), and dust. Similar to Solution 1, discussions focused on baseline and performance evaluations, model enhancements, and the Operational Validation Plan, to ensure a seamless transition from research to operational implementation.
Day 3: Helsinki Airport Visit
The meeting concluded on February 28 with a site visit to Helsinki Airport, providing attendees with practical insights into real-world meteorological challenges in aviation operations. Hosted by Finavia, the session was led by Pyry Pennanen, Head of Airfield Maintenance, who provided a detailed overview of airfield strategies and meteorological considerations in airport operations.
The 3rd biannual KAIROS meeting was a pivotal event, fostering collaboration and setting the stage for the next phase of the project. With clear objectives established for model validation and integration, these discussions were crucial to develop a unified approach to advancing aviation meteorology through cutting-edge technology.
The consortium extends its sincere gratitude to FMI for their hospitality and organization, which greatly contributed to the results of the meeting.
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