Seeing the need for current and accurate weather at the Pebbly Beach on Santa Catalina Island, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department contracted with Belfort Instrument (Booth No. 5914) to install an AWOS AV at the helistop there.

Belfort’s FAA-approved AWOS AV provides up-to-the-minute weather conditions to ground personnel and aircraft operators through a scalable, fully automated system that includes all the hardware and software needed, including PC terminal, telephone, Internet and VHF radio transmissions. The key sensors for the unit are designed, manufactured and distributed by Belfort.

“The new Belfort AWOS installation at Pebbly Beach will enhance EMS flight operations,” said Sgt. Morrie C. Zager, Aero Bureau, LA County Sheriff’s Department. The department is installing the optional cloud height sensor on the unit there.

Belfort’s AWOS AV was originally designed to bring aviation-grade weather reporting capabilities to general aviation airports unable to afford the current line of FAA-approved AWOS products. Its wireless architecture is designed to reduce both installation and maintenance costs with its built-in diagnostic and fault-isolation software and firmware algorithms.

The system’s digital architecture and Internet-based monitoring capability combined with “plug and play” design should ensure that the LA Sheriff’s Department can save on maintenance, support and training costs, according to Belfort. Meanwhile, receiving real-time, local weather information automatically over Unicom or discreet frequencies, telephone, Internet or on a wireless handheld device will enable safer missions for the department’s aviation division.