Read Me TAFver Version 2.0

1\. What is new in version 2.0?

a.  2.0 has a brand new processing engine in it that is much more
    efficient than version 1.x. It will not bog down doing large
    verification tasks.

b.  2.0 Collects "Impact" stats for the first nine hours of the TAF.
    There are three impact stats: IFR, Less than MVFR, and Fuel. Details
    are on the next page.

c.  2.0 allows you to directly import forecaster numbers from TAFnum
    files generated in AWIPS.

d.  2.0 allows you to run stats for a single forecaster

e.  2.0 fixes all reported bugs that were not addressed in version 1.1g.

2\. What is Compacter and why do I need it?

> Compactor is a program that processes the raw TAF, MTR, MAV files.
> This significantly reduces the space these files take up and the
> amount of time TAFver must spend processing the file after ingestion.

3\. How Do I use Compactor?

Download the compactor file into your hard drive.

Create a new folder called "Compact" on your C drive

Enter your TAF sites into the "Setup" page. (Use Section 1)

Fill out your FWC node.

Use the button "Run Compact" on the set up page to start Compacting your
files.

Pick a Section (section 1 where you put the TAF data) and a month.
Choose either This Year or Last Year depending on the files you want to
Compact.

> Compact every file you have so you can run TAFver 2.0 to collect stats
> over a long period of time.

4\. What do I have to do in TAFver

Make sure the set up page input drive is set to C:\\Compact

**Impact Statistics**

There are three new statistics, all related to domestic flight planning
and operations. All impact statistics are measured for the first nine
hours of the TAF and are collected in one hour increments as well as 0
to 6 hour and 0 to 9 hour groupings. Additionally there is a new type of
statistic called "One Hour Statistics" these differ from the normal
TAFver five minute statistics in that they look at an entire hour. Thus
any five minute block in the hour would cause the entire hour to be
assigned that category.

All of the statistics are Boolean in nature, that is they either occur
or they do not, they are either forecast or they are not. For example a
forecast either states that a plane needs to carry extra fuel or it does
not. To this end a new stat was created called the "Not POD" this is the
POD of the other condition e.g. Did not need extra fuel.

The three impact statistics are: IFR, Less than MVFR, and Fuel

**IFR**: Is the flight category IFR (but not LIFR) defined by a
Visibility from 1 to less than 3 miles and/or a Ceiling of 500 to 900
feet and neither the Visibility less than 1 mile or the Ceiling less
than 500 feet. This stat is a little odd because a VFR MTR and a LIFR
TAF Is treated like a Not POD hit.

**Less than MVFR**. Is a combination of LIFR and IFR categories and
gives an indication about how well the TAFs help out the VFR pilots.

**Extra Fuel**: Is the category that causes extra fuel to be loaded onto
an aircraft headed to the TAF site. It is defined as a visibility less
than 3 miles and/or a ceiling less than 2000 feet. Remember that MAV
forecasts only one MFVR Cig category from 1000 to 3000 feet. Using the
"Plan for worst forecast condition" thinking any MAV MVFR Cig is treated
as an extra fuel forecast. Thus MAV stats would expect to have high FARs