smooth ride to Juneau: RAP maps wind shear and turbulence at
isolated airport That ubiquitous air travel safety announcement
about fastening seatbelts and placing seats in their upright
positions has a special meaning when it comes to flying into
Juneau International Airport. The local wind shear and
turbulence are notorious because the mountains that tightly
encircle the airport produce a complex wind-flow pattern that
literally rattles passengers who travel in and out of Alaskas
small capital Two airplanesa University of Wyoming King Air and
an Alaska Airlines 737-400gather data on RAPs prototype As the
project manager for the FAA-sponsored Juneau Wind Project, Bob
Barron of the Research Applications Program hopes to give
travelers a smoother, safer ride. Bob and his colleagues are
developing a prototype warning system that issues up-to-the-
minute alerts about wind shear and turbulence to air traffic
controllers, airline dispatchers, and pilots. The goal is to
warn pilots in time to prevent injuries to pass