Cincinnati State licenses aviation weather station in Harrison

November 8, 2011

Cincinnati State has just received its license to operate a new aviation weather station that was recently installed at the Cincinnati West Airport in Harrison.

Known as AWOS, for Automated Weather Observation System, it reports cloud height, visibility, temperature, dew point and other weather conditions over an aircraft radio frequency used by pilots. The radio signal extends between 40 and 60 miles from the Harrison airport, depending on altitude on the plane.

The system also makes this information – which is updated every minute – available to pilots as a telephone voice recording.

According to Will Berninger, who manages the Cincinnati West Airport in Harrison on behalf of the College (and who is shown in the photo above standing next to the AWOS tower), the system at Harrison is part of an effort by the Federal Aviation Administration to improve safety at general aviation airports. The system cost about $170,000. A grant covered 95 percent of the cost; the College paid the remainder.