Weather Mod Critical Issues Report

• Project Type: General OWC
• Project Name: Weather Modification
• Title: Critical Issues in Weather Modification Research
• Date: 1/1/2004
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Final Report

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. We recognize that much of the cloud seeding conducted today, and likely in the
future, is done in situ by aircraft, A limited weather modification pilot training
curriculum presently is in place at the University of North Dakota (two semesters).
This program should be expanded under the auspices of the national research program
to improve the breadth of training provided, emphasizing flight in IMC (instrument
meteorological conditions) and including actual hands-on, in-the-cockpit seeding
experience, Correct targeting is mission-critical, yet nationally, many pilots presently
working on operational programs receive only limited training, many not having the
benefit of any formal training whatsoever. When pilots are undertrained, project
results are likely to suffer. A certification program for pilots by an organization such
as the WMA, which, in addition to formal university instruction might include
periodic recertification and/or recurrency training, would significantly improve the
overall abilities and capabilities of the operational weather modification pilots.

We encourage the scientific and operational communities in weather modification
to cooperate and work together whenever and wherever possible to solve the many
problems slowing progress in the field. The future should not involve solely operational
programs or research efforts. The two should be coupled whenever possible, to work
together toward the many common goals.

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