Evans Awarded ‘Weather Prize’ by NBAA, Consortium of Aviation Groups

June 11, 2019

For his lifelong work in aviation weather technology, including programs on terminal doppler weather radar, the integrated terminal weather system and corridor integrated weather systems, James Evans, a senior staff member in the Air Traffic Control Systems group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, received the third annual Aviation and Space Operations Weather Prize from a consortium of industry groups, including NBAA.

The presentation took place at the spring meeting of the Friends and Partners of Aviation Weather in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes significant single accomplishments or lifetimes of achievement in work to increase aviation and space operations safety and efficiency through the advancement of meteorological science and its allied technologies.

The consortium of organizations that awarded this year’s prize to Evans was led by the Allied Pilots Association, and along with NBAA, included Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Air Line Pilots Association, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Airline Dispatchers Federation, Airlines for America and the Meteorology Group of the Range Commander’s Council.

Representing NBAA in the selection process was John Kosak, NBAA program manager, weather. Kosak also works at the FAA Command Center’s Air Traffic Services desk and is the NBAA staff liaison for the association’s Access Committee’s Weather Subcommittee.

Kosak explained that the tools developed in part by Evans are being used today in the FAA Command Center to help manage the National Airspace System.

“The programs led by Jim Evans help identify dangerous weather that could impact en route (thunderstorms) or terminal (microbursts) safety and efficiency,” Kosak said. “The selection committee wants to reward people like Jim who have made significant contributions in the field of weather towards the improvement of flight safety and overall system efficiency.”