Results from the third BLIPMAP
User Survey (which ran from Apr 26 to May 26, 2004) are given below
as red overlay on the original survey
form or as a link for extracted comments. The voting percentage
or average was computed only for those respondents who answered that
question, which is indicated in brackets [#] (note that questions allowing multiple
responses can total to more than 100%!).
A listing of the comments
(from those who opted to allow their comments to be viewed) is
provided in several links. Several of the comments are location
specific, so the location from which each came is indicated - and if
the pilot specified that their survey could be made public their name
is also given. I have also edited some comments to remove
personal messages or names. I have
added a few comments on the comments when a short response would
suffice, but did not do so if a lengthy response would be
required.
The total number of
participants was 158.
My sincere thanks to all those who took time to participate - those
who allowed their names to be made public are listed in the public key.
About You
Name:
Home Airport / Launch Point (please include city and 2-letter state ID):
Registration/Subscription Status: I am:
0% [157] not Registered
1% [157] Registered-only (not subscribed)
11% [157] a RUC-model Subscriber
6% [157] a ETA-model Subscriber
82% [157] Subscribed to both models
If you will permit an email to obtain additional feedback, enter your email address:
Survey privacy: This survey can be seen by:
60% [158] anyone
2% [158] just Dr.Jack, but my comments can be extracted and posted anonymously
38% [158] just Dr.Jack, and my comments can NOT be extracted and posted anonymously
What you fly: (multiple choice possible)
89% [157] Sailplane
12% [157] HangGlider
6 % [157] ParaGlider
21% [157] Power Plane
0 % [157] No flying done at present time
Region(s) in which you have used BLIPMAP: (multiple choice possible)
23% [158] NorthEast
19% [158] SouthEast
14% [158] NorthCentral
9 % [158] SouthCentral
6 % [158] GreatPlains
14% [158] OK/TX
13% [158] NorthWest
34% [158] SouthWest
38% [158] CA/NV
Type(s) of flying: (multiple choice possible)
71% [156] Local
95% [156] CrossCountry
35% [156] Contest
30% [156] Record
National aviation associations(s) you belong to: (multiple choice possible)
87% [155] SSA
16% [155] USHGA
7 % [155] Soaring Association of Canada
3 % [155] Any other national soaring association
55% [155] AOPA
18% [155] EAA
5 % [155] Any other national powerplane association
Enter any comment needed to clarify the above: (optional)
(for overall comments on BLIPMAPs, please use the comment box at the end of the form!)
Link to comments
About your BLIPMAP use
How many days (approx.) did you fly in 2004:
54 days ±51 [min-max=2-325] [156]
After you knew about BLIPMAPs, on what percentage of your flights did you obtain a BLIPMAP-based forecast prior to the flight:
85 % ±22 [min-max=15-100] [155] %
During the soaring season, how many times did you look at the BLIPMAP forecasts during an average week:
7 times ±9 [min-max=1-100] [155]
How many total days have you flown based on a BLIPMAP forecast when you otherwise would not have flown:
8 days ±9 [min-max=0-60] [142]
How many times have you canceled a planned soaring day because BLIPMAPs predicted a poor day:
7 times ±7 [min-max=0-45] [146]
If you work, on how many "work days" have you taken time off or rescheduled work so that you could fly based on a BLIPMAP forecast:
4 days ±5 [min-max=0-30] [118]
What (guessimated) percentage of active pilots at your soaring site now use BLIPMAP forecasts:
51 % ±29 [min-max=0-100] [145]
Have you ever used a BLIPMAP forecast secondhand, i.e. someone else actually looked at the BLIPMAP and gave you a forecast based on it
66% [155] Yes
33% [155] No
If you have used BLIPMAPs for task planning and/or choice of flight direction, how valuable has that been for those purposes
10% [147] Not used for task planning
56% [147] Extremely useful
35% [147] Useful
0% [147] Not Useful
When using BLIPMAP forecasts, do you look at
39% [155] Only forecasts for a single (18/21Z) time
61% [155] Forecasts for multiple times of the day
What percentage of your BLIPMAP use is for RUC model forecasts
7% [151] 0%
15% [151] 25%
34% [151] 50%
20% [151] 75%
24% [151] 100%
What percentage of your BLIPMAP use is for ETA model forecasts
13% [142] 0%
20% [142] 25%
36% [142] 50%
19% [142] 75%
13% [142] 100%
IF you use one of the viewers, you can choose between either "Classic"
colors (all available colors are used between the parameter's maximum
and minimum value) or "Fixed" colors (each color always represent the
same pre-set increment). Which do you prefer:
29% [144] "Classic" colors
5 % [144] "Fixed" colors
31% [144] Varies
36% [144] No preference
Enter any comment which clarifies your BLIPMAP use: (optional)
(for overall comments on BLIPMAPs, please use the comment box at the end of the form!)
Link to comments
About BLIPMAP Usefulness
Overall, how would you rate the usefulness of BLIPMAPs for planning
your flight weatherwise:
57% [157] Extremely useful
29% [157] Very Useful
14% [157] Generally Useful
1 % [157] Marginally Useful
0 % [157] Not Useful
For as many of the following parameters in which you have an interest, please give your impression of their usefulness
| Parameter | Usage |
Comments (optional) |
|---|---|---|
|
Thermal Updraft Velocity (W*) |
0 % [157]
NOT Understood 7 % [157] Understood but NOT Used 93% [157] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Height of BL Top |
1 % [156]
NOT Understood 13% [156] Understood but NOT Used 87% [156] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
|
Height of Critical Updraft Strength (Hcrit) |
3 % [155]
NOT Understood 14% [155] Understood but NOT Used 83% [155] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Thermal Height Variability |
15% [152] NOT Understood 47% [152] Understood but NOT Used 38% [152] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
|
Buoyancy/Shear Ratio (B/S) |
19% [153] NOT Understood 12% [153] Understood but NOT Used 69% [153] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Wind Speed in BL |
1 % [155] NOT Understood 16% [155] Understood but NOT Used 83% [155] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Wind Direction in BL |
1 % [154] NOT Understood 17% [154] Understood but NOT Used 82% [154] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Wind Shear in BL |
27 % [100] NOT Understood 39% [100] Understood but NOT Used 34% [100] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
|
BL Max Up/Down Motion (Convergence) |
41% [151] NOT Understood 32% [151] Understood but NOT Used 27% [151] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Cumulus Potential |
5 % [152] NOT Understood 13% [152] Understood but NOT Used 82% [152] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
|
Cumulus Cloudbase (Surface LCL) |
6 % [152] NOT Understood 18% [152] Understood but NOT Used 76% [152] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| OverDevelopment Potential |
5 % [153] NOT Understood 16% [153] Understood but NOT Used 79% [153] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
|
OD Cloudbase (BL Condensation Level) |
21% [149] NOT Understood 41% [149] Understood but NOT Used 38% [149] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| BL Relative Humidity Max |
38% [149] NOT Understood 48% [149] Understood but NOT Used 14% [149] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
|
C A P E (Convective Available Potential Energy) |
54% [153] NOT Understood 19% [153] Understood but NOT Used 27% [153] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| BL Depth |
38% [151] NOT Understood 32% [151] Understood but NOT Used 31% [151] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Surface Heating |
26% [152] NOT Understood 41% [152] Understood but NOT Used 33% [152] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
| Surface Temperature |
13 % [100] NOT Understood 54% [100] Understood but NOT Used 33% [100] Understood and Used |
Link to comments |
About BLIPMAP improvements or changes
How useful would the addition of a surface wind prediction be to you:
13% [150] Not Useful
60% [150] Useful
27% [150] Extremely useful
This summer RUC forecasts are expected to improve to a resolution
of 13km (vice the current 20km). When making the necessary
changes, I must decide whether to (1) keep the map image size the
same, or (2) improve resolution by using the same pixels per grid
point ratio and thus make the map image 50% larger, or (3) do something in
between. At the same time I might also increase the area covered
by each region to allow more overlap between the regions, which would
also increase the image size. The downside of increasing the map image
size is that it would be more difficult to view on smaller monitors,
since they could not display the entire image on their screen.
Your preference for the map image size would be:
17% [147] Keep Same Size
7 % [147] Increase Size by 15%
12% [147] Increase Size by 33%
44% [147] Increase Size by 50%
14% [147] Increase Size by 100%
5 % [147] Increase Size by more than 100%
IF the map image size is increased, should this be done
(1) to provide enhanced resolution over the same map region as before,
(2) to increase the area covered by each map and thus increase regional
overlap, but keeping resolution the same, or (3) increase both
resolution and regional overlap ?
55% [141] Better Resolution Only
9 % [141] More Regional Overlap Only
36% [141] Both better resolution and more overlap
Is there any area not covered by the present regions that you think should be covered?
If so, indicate the area you would like to have added.
Link to comments
Would you like to have a specific piece of BLIPMAP information
provided on the website ? If so, indicate what you would like to
see added in the comment box below.
Link to comments
Is there is a particularly important BLIPMAP improvement not
mentioned above that you would like to see incorporated (if possible),
describe that in the comment box below.
Link to comments
Miscellaneous
The time I needed to complete this survey was (approximately):
9 minutes ±7 [min-max=0-60 ] [153]
That survey completion time is:
18% [151] Shorter than I anticipated
82% [151] A reasonable time
0 % [151] Longer than I anticipated
0 % [151] Much too long
Enter any comments on this survey itself: (optional)
Link to comments
Enter any overall comments on BLIPMAP or comment on anything not addressed elsewhere in the survey: (optional)
Link to comments